PEGS has been merciless against bottom-of-the-ladder Melton in the Hockey Victoria women’s Vic League 2 this season, scoring 18 goals and conceding none in two one-sided outings.
But Saturday’s 7-0 win over Melton – a rebuilding team that has a goal difference of -82 – is something of an outlier in terms of the PEGS season so far.
Goalscoring is the one aspect of play that is holding PEGS back.
“All we’re missing is a bit of polish in the circle,” coach Rob Carruthers said.
“Defensively, we’re doing quite well, our midfield is winning most games, but we just need to put the ball in the back of the net. It’s a lack of polish and composure at times. Some of them get into the circle and it’s like it’s outer space in there. They just hit the panic button.”
PEGS’ strike force will not be judged by games against teams outside the top four, but against top two clubs Monash University and Werribee.
They are the teams Carruthers wants his players to aspire to catch – and he believes they can by season’s end.
PEGS lost to those clubs in consecutive weeks recently, but by only a goal on each occasion.
Once again, the lack of punch in attack hurt them and they’re now three games back from the top two. But there was enough in those performances to encourage Carruthers.
“Both of those games, we controlled the play, but we couldn’t score,” he said. “The one against Werribee, we got scored against in the last two minutes.
“They were very disappointed against Monash – that they dominated and just didn’t take their chances.”
The PEGS midfield line of Claire Aston, Louis McNab and Jacqui Davis is one that no team would like to confront in the finals. All are quality two-way players, dangerous both offensively and stout defensively.
Davis is PEGS’ leading goalscorer with seven, closely followed by six each to Aston, Tilka Hassing and Sarah Turner.
PEGS will host second-last ECHO at the PEGS Sports Fields on Saturday.
