Easts have another shot at final

Easts striker Tim Woodford takes on a Hancocks defender during Saturday’s A-grade clash at the Ipswich Hockey Complex. Woodford scored four goals in Easts’ 7-1 victory.

Claudia Baxter

MINOR premiers Easts marched towards another shot at grand final glory by outclassing Hancocks 7-1 in their latest game at the Ipswich Hockey Complex.

Easts (40 points) cruised to victory with Tim Woodford smashing in four goals and Chris Melvin netting a useful hat-trick.

Easts should face a sterner pre-finals test in Saturday’s 4pm mid-season final against Bellbowrie at Raceview.

However, the real battle with two weeks to the Ipswich A-grade men’s finals is for third and fourth spots.

Wests (20 points) held on to third behind Bellbowrie (25) after drawing 1-1 with Norths on Saturday night.

Norths (16) moved one point clear of Hancocks.

That set up a super showdown between the sides at 5.30pm on Sunday.

Norths then have a final round bye and Hancocks tackle Bellbowrie.

Wests have a bye this weekend before meeting the powerful Easts combination in their last qualifying game.

Norths are threatening to make their annual finals’ charge after coming from 1-0 down to gain a valuable point against Wests.

“We’ve got a bit of team structure now where that was lacking in the first half of the year,” Norths coach Jamie Burns said.

“We rattled Bellbowrie last week (winning 5-2). I don’t think anyone thought we would knock them over.”

Burns conceded the Devils had endured a tough year with some key changes. The former premiership-winning player stepped into the coaching role after initially offering to be manager.

“I’ve only had them for half a year so we’re starting to put it together as a team and aim for the four,” Burns said.

“We’re not getting too cocky. But things are starting to click together.”

On Saturday night, Wests were without player/coach Jaden Ekert, who had just finished the Australian Country titles in Canberra.

Wests on-field leader Michael Wiseman said playing Easts in their final qualifying game could be just what the Magpies need.

“It’s coming together in dribs and drabs,” the defender said. “It’s just putting away a few more goals I think.”

Wiseman, 25, is a Wests junior and one of the club’s most loyal players.

The accountant said Wests could go into the playoffs without any pressure.

“We always seem to choke a little (in finals) but we haven’t been underdogs for a few years so we’re looking forward to coming through and giving it a shake,” he said.

In Saturday night’s game, Greg Walker put Wests 1-0 up in the 14th minute before Dean Jeffrey’s superb strike from a penalty corner levelled the scores four minutes later.

Norths looked dangerous every time Dane Rew pushed forward up the middle.

Wests duo Andrew Horricks and Lucas Alchin worked hard.

STATE of PLAY

A Grade men: Easts 7 (Tim Woodford 4, Chris Melvin 3) d. Hancocks 1 (Dean Pavitt); Norths 1 (Dean Jeffrey) drew Wests 1 (Greg Walker).

Latest points: 1. Easts 40 (73 goals for, 25 against),

2. Bellbowrie 25 (32-36), 3. Wests 20 (33-38), 4. Norths 16 (31-45), 5. Hancocks 15 (25-42).

‘We’ve got a bit of team structure now where that was lacking in the first half of the year’

– Jamie Burns