The Goulburn Geckos went some way towards redeeming what has been an mixed season on Saturday afternoon with a resounding victory over a powerful OCHC side.
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The Geckos’ winter season has been stop-start thus far, with four wins and three losses for the 2017 premiers.
Early in Saturday’s clash at the Workers Arena, the Geckos were unable to make the most of several shots on goal, and it looked as though they may be sliding towards another hard-fought defeat.
However, a few words from coach Todd Devlin at half time, with the score at 2-1 in favour of OCHC, managed to snap the Geckos back into shape.
“I sorta said to the boys that we were probably the better team and had more chances in the first half, we just didn’t take our chances and they got a couple and they put ‘em in,” Devlin said.
“I guess the message was to probably, in the second half, to stay patient and the chances would come, just when they do to make sure we make the most of them.”
Indeed, the Geckos had the run of play for much of the first half, and saw many shots on goal go unrewarded as OCHC kept their defense tight and showed an ability to rebound with blinding speed.
Both of the visitors’ goals were the result of quick reversals from their own defensive halves, which is an asset that Devlin and his side were aware of coming into the game.
“I think the last time we played them the game was 6-5, and they won that, so we had a big talk about that before the game, that we needed to tighten up our defence and limit their opportunities,” he said.
“I think we did that pretty well today.”
Come the second half, the Geckos took to the field with renewed intensity. They scored a goal within ten minutes, and survived a scare soon after when an OCHC goal was disallowed by the umpire.
Ten minutes later, they took the lead for the first time in the match, 3-2, before a burst of aggression within the last ten minutes saw three more goals added.
When the final buzzer rang, the Geckos led 6-2 and had defeated the number two team on the ladder in a match that was harder-fought than the scoreboard suggested.
With this win, Devlin feels that the season is beginning to come together for the Geckos.
“That was really good, I feel like the games we’ve lost, we haven’t played badly. We’ve just been a bit unlucky sometimes, [and made] crucial mistakes at key times,” Devlin said.
“I feel like we’ve been building towards a game like this, and today was probably our day and everything fell into place, especially in that second half.”
Next week, the Geckos will take on ANU. While on paper this should be a straightforward game, Devlin is wary of the danger that underdogs pose.
“[We’re] confident, but we’ve gotta prepare well,” he said.
“They’re probably one of the weaker teams in the competition, but that’s not to say they can’t beat us. So we’ve gotta turn up with the right attitude, prepare well, and make sure we come to play.”
