Harlequins are Wagga Hockey champions for the second year running after producing a spectacular comeback win over Lake Albert in the division one men’s decider.
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In a grand final for the ages, Lake Albert came out with all guns firing to shock the minor premiers in the first half and clinch an early lead.
Stand-in captain Rhys McManus and Benson Williams controlled the play in midfield as the green team was unable to stem the attacks, finding themselves constantly on the back foot.
With a two goal lead at the break and a third goal early in the second half, the premiership looked to be heading Lake Albert’s way.
The reigning premiers’ class soon shone through and midway through the second half, Harlequins forward line finally clicked with Jackson White slotting one past Lake Albert keeper Michael Redmond to get the green team on the board.
Harlequins captain Brendan Watson scored his first goal to make it 3-2 with 14 minutes to go as Lake Albert began to tire and when David Mumford Memorial winner Riley Makeham scored his goal to equalise the game at 3-3, Lake Albert’s fairy tale was all but over.
Watson fittingly struck the winning goal with just two minutes left on the clock, handing Harlequins their first lead of the game and one that ultimately held until the full time whistle.
“It was a very slow start from us and a pretty slow first half half in general, but they managed to put a few goals away and got third third just after half time, so we were a fair way down,” Watson said.
“We always had plenty of the ball but we probably weren’t finishing off our last passes when we needed to.”
The Harlequins skipper played a key role in securing his side’s eight premiership in 11 years and said the side were never truly rattled despite the half time score.
“It was a little hairy for a while but I never really felt too nervous out on the field because we were always around the goal and looked like scoring,” Watson said.
“I think the people off the field were probably a bit more worried than us out there.”
Harlequins’ division two side failed to match the club’s division one heroics after losing their third grand final in a row.
It was the Cavaliers who emerged victorious in that decider, bursting out after a scoreless opening half to notch a 3-1 victory and their second title in as many years.
However, the green team fared better in the division three grand final and were always in control against a brave Lake Albert side.
Mark White, Garry Smith and Jay Williams did the damage for Harlequins to run out 3-2 winners despite the best efforts of Lake Albert’s dual goal scorer, Steve Johnson, and back up from their minor premiership.
