West Footscray was thinking what might have been after almost pulling off an upset win against Werribee Centrals in the Western Football League women’s competition on Saturday.
The Bokkers produced their best performance of the season and for three quarters looked to be the better side against the reigning premiers.
The Centurions’ experience shone through in the key moments as they kicked four final quarter goals to level the scores and come away with a 4.6 (30) draw.
Bokkers coach Shane Windridge said it was a match they probably should have won.
“They went in with a couple of injuries and we wanted to put on a good show with a strong side,” he said.
“We dominated the first three quarters and were three goals up at three quarter time. We were a bit disappointed in the end.”
Windridge said their ball movement in the first three quarters was the best it had been and they looked really dangerous when they went forward.
He said the Centurions were able to capitalise on a poor 10 minutes from them to allow them back in the game.
“There were two players that we really wanted to stop and when it got tight they kicked two goals each,” he said.
“Their stronger players didn’t panic like we did in the last 10 minutes.”
Windridge said while they didn’t get the result it would give them plenty of confidence.
“There’s the top four and then a gap to the next four or five,” he said. “For the girls it will give them confidence they can match it with one of the stronger teams in the competition.
“The girls will get a lot out of it.
It was two of the Bokkers’ newer players in Laura Littlepage and Janelle Sammut that impressed him the most in the draw.
He said Littlepage, who was in her second game, had a really strong pre-season but had been hampered by injury early on.
Sammut was a key goalkicker down forward and now has 10 goals in her four games for the season.
The Bokkers sit in seventh spot with one win and two draws at the long weekend bye.
Windridge said they were hoping to be better in the second part of the season.
“We’ve had two really close losses and two draws,” he said. “We let them slip and could have won all of them.
“We are an inexperienced group. We got quite a few junior players back to the club this season and are still learning to play together.
“We need to turn some of those close losses into wins.”
In other results, Parkside Spurs beat Point Cook Centrals, 8.14 (62)-5.2 (32). Samara Arena kicked three goals for the Spurs.
Yarraville Seddon was also on the winners list, beating the Suns, 10.6 (66)-2.4 (16).
