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Casuals beat Rovers 3-0 to win Geraldton men’s senior hockey title

Reuben CarderGeraldton Guardian
Men's A grade champions Casuals.
Camera IconMen's A grade champions Casuals. Credit: Geraldton Guardian

Casuals ran away with the Geraldton A-grade hockey title in a blistering finish, beating Rovers 3-0 on Saturday night in a match that was closer than the scoreline suggested.

Brent Allen, Scott Piper and Daniel Golding scored for Casuals, with Golding sealing his position as top scorer in the competition.

The score was 0-0 at half-time before Casuals made the breakthrough, going on to add a second.

With the clock ticking and Rovers down 2-0, they substituted their goalkeeper off.

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Casuals were able to break forward and win a penalty, which they converted in the dying seconds as Rovers packed the goal mouth.

Casuals had gone to the grand final the long way.

They beat Yacht Club in an exciting preliminary final, winning 6-3 thanks to goals from Adam Burrows, Golding, Jarrod Jupp, Allen and a double for Clint Yeates.

Casuals and Rovers were playing their third fixture against each other in a row.

The Geraldton Hockey Association’s Emma Bowen said the atmosphere, with a packed crowd and plenty of fast-paced play, was a great way to close out the season.

“The stadium was bursting with energy and excitement for grand final day,” Bowen said.

“(The men’s final) was a fast-paced, action-packed game.”

The Cougars had topped the table in the regular season.

They beat Rovers 2-0 in the last home and away round to ensure they would finish first, with Golding getting both goals.

But it had all gone a bit pear shaped for them since then.

In a sign of how competitive the division was, Rovers turned them over in the semifinal two Saturdays ago.

In that game, both sides pushed each other all the way before Rovers finally prevailed to go straight through to the grand final.

Rovers’ Kye McVee, Aiden McDowell and Riley McKoy put their one-on-ones away after the scoreline remained nil-all at the end of extra time.

Josh McGlynn and Jupp scored for Casuals but it wasn’t enough, the game finishing 3-2.

But on Saturday night, it was revenge for the Cougars as they lifted the shield.

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