Altona put up a brave showing before succumbing 5-4 to Powerhouse-St Kilda in men’s premier league hockey last week.
The Seagulls made the perfect start at the State Hockey Centre when Andrew Scanlon converted a penalty stroke. But the lead was short lived as defender Jake MacVean deflected the ball into his own net to equalise.
The goal inspired Powerhouse, which scored three times in 20 minutes from two penalty corner flicks and a goal from an Altona mistake.
Altona then regained the ascendency and defender Chris Coleman made it 4-2 with a flick from a penalty corner.
As Seagulls strikers Cale Rout and Patrick Phillips put enormous pressure on the Powerhouse defenders, a turnover found Chris Porter with the ball and his shot hit a defender on the goal line.
Scanlon converted and Alton went in to half time trailing 4-3.
But the comeback hit a snag in the second half when Powerhouse scored a fifth goal. A long overhead pass cleared Altona’s attacking press and a Powerhouse forward won the race for the ball to shoot into the bottom of the net.
Phillips made it 5-4 and an Altona equaliser proved elusive.
Seagulls’ co-coach Steve Ritchie was disappointed to concede five goals. “Conceding that many makes it difficult to win.”
Altona will play Doncaster at Grant Reserve this week.
