With the last of the scheduled hockey-free weekends for the season now behind us, the run to the Wimmera Hockey Association finals begun on Saturday with the first of the rescheduled rounds played at Anzac Park in Warracknabeal.
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Although it finished in the only drawn game for the round, the match involving the Horsham Hurricanes and Nhill Rangers in the Open competition was one of the most entertaining.
Horsham opened the scoring in the sixth minute of the game and it took until the equivalent time in the second half for the Rangers to even the scores.
However, aside from these two successful scoring shots, this game was very even with the ball regularly moving from end to end, but neither Hurricanes or Rangers could take control and dominate their opponent.
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The Kaniva Cobras did well to keep the Tigers to just one goal in the opening game in this division, but that was still enough for the Yanac team to remain undefeated when they didn't concede any goals.
The Tigers controlled the game right from the start, with many threatening forward moves, but the Cobras' determined defence kept them in the game.
It was a similar story at the other end of the field as the Yanac defenders prevented Kaniva from making many serious threats to score.
In a case of déjà vu, a game between the Warrack Hoops and Dimboola Burras was cut short after an injury to a player for the second time this season.
Up until the 14th minute of the second half this was a very skilful and entertaining game, and unlike their last match that was halted before halftime and was registered as a no-result, this had progressed well into the second half so the one-goal advantage to the Hoops became the official result.
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The competition-leading Yanac Women won a close game against the Kaniva Women after the scores were tied at halftime.
Kaniva took the early lead just three minutes into the game, and it took another twenty minutes of even play before Yanac was able equalise.
An early goal by Yanac soon after the start of the second half put them ahead, and despite another thirty minutes of determined play, neither team scored again which gave Yanac their seventh win from as many games so far this season.
The Nhill Thunderbirds accounted for the Horsham Jets in the other match in the Women's competition by four goals, but this was not a true indication of an evenly contested game.
The Yanac Warriors scored four times in their win over the Kaniva Raiders and the Horsham Bombers overcame a determined Nhill Leopards team to continue their impressive 2021 season and remain clear on the second rung of the ladder.
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