The Gippsland Strikers seniors played out a dramatic draw as some of their other sides enjoyed wins on the road.
Seniors
Strikes 2 drew Caroline Springs 2
Goal scorers Strikers: M Zurrer 2
The West Gippsland Strikers battled hard for a 2–2 draw against Caroline Springs in round eight, fighting back from 2–0 down with a late surge in the final quarter.
Matt Zurrer found the net twice in quick succession to level the score, while goalkeeper Ben Knight came up with some crucial saves to keep the Strikers in the contest.
Plenty of chances went begging in a match that swung both ways, but with just 12 players on the day it was a gritty and determined team effort.
A special mention to Sam Pepper, who made his debut for the Strikers in testing conditions.
Under 14s
Strikers 6 def ECHO 0
Goal scorers Strikers: T Boltong 2, L Cutler 2, C Ballantyne 1, G Hazell 1
Friday night's clash between the Gippsland Strikers and ECHO was a showcase of skill, determination, and competitive hockey.
Both teams brought intensity to the pitch, but it was the Strikers who dominated from the outset.
The Strikers came out strong, pushing hard and taking a commanding 4–0 lead by half-time. Despite the scoreline, ECHO never backed down and displayed some impressive defensive work in the second half, limiting the Strikers to just two more goals before the final whistle.
The under 14s' next match will be a home at Bellbird Park against Waverley Hockey Club on Thursday 13 June at 7:15pm. Come down and show your support.
Under 18s
Strikers 3 drew Mentone 3
Goal scorers Strikers; L Metcalf 1, C van der Marel 1, H Coster 1
Goal scorers Mentone: X Davis 3
The under 18s team travelled to Mentone this week for round five. Game time was 8:15pm and hamburgers were on offer at the end of the game.
It was going to be an interesting state of play for both teams who have previously had challenging match-ups in the past.
The first half, with lots of back and forth on the field and strong defence, finished with Strikers one up.
Another Strikers goal took the score to 2-0 before Mentone gained the upper edge in the last 15 mins of game time with two quick goals off short corners.
Despite another Strikers goal, Mentone then gained one last goal in the dying seconds of the game to draw the match. The hamburgers were much appreciated by all.
Masters
Strikers 4 def Knox 0
Goal scorers Strikers: I Hewett 1, B North 1, C Parnall 1, R Wells 1