By Jonty Ralphsmith
Cardinia has finished its home-and-away season with a clinical 2-0 win over Old Haileyburians Association in the Men’s Metro 2 South Competition.
It was the perfect tune-up for the Storm ahead of a finals campaign they will enter as favourites, with goal keeper Cameron Watts and leader Adam Welcome both communicating well in a staunch backline effort.
Both goals came from the field, with Taylor Rae striking from the field in the second quarter, before Scott Burnett put the result beyond doubt in the fourth.
“It wasn’t the prettiest win but the defenders brought the pressure of finals hockey – their direction and intensity down back is what we will come to expect of the upcoming finals series,” coach Peter Turner said.
“We’ve been practising a few things to get ready for finals and enacted them this week.
“We’ve been trying some variations for certain plays so we’ve been getting ready and we have players who can play different positions.”
The Storm will take on Southern United for a chance to qualify for a grand final, while a loss would force them to win a preliminary final.
“They’re a very experienced hockey club with a good mix of hockey players and have lots of smart players,” the coach said.
“We haven’t lost to them all year and we know what to do – our best hockey will get the result.”
The women finished off their season with a 4-1 victory over Mornington Peninsula led by a double to Ashleigh Burnett.
The women finished fifth on the table, two points outside of finals.
