Peloton celebrates milestone

21 Jul, 2010 04:00 AM

THE Port Macquarie Football Club Gordon Street Cycles-sponsored women’s side has reached a milestone this year by achieving what no other team has done – scored 100 goals.

The Peleton women’s outfit is only in its second season together and is growing more and more confident just weeks out from the finals.

With only three games remaining, Port FC Peloton was desperate to maintain its undefeated run and the chance of claiming the minor premiership.

The side travelled up to Kempsey on Saturday with only nine players to take on their closest rivals Kempsey Hornets Macleay Hotel.

With many key Peloton players out, including the instrumental midfield quartet of Deb Nelson, Kahrina Dorczak, Alissa Tenney and Beth Tenney, the team ran out onto the Kempsey ground with a skeleton side, which included a number of youngsters in only their first senior fixture.

In the hot conditions, Kempsey started the stronger.

With a makeshift Peloton midfield, coach Col Purcell watched the Kempsey midfield gain the majority of possession and create a number of goal scoring opportunities.

“Kempsey had 15 players and were constantly rotating fresh players onto the field,” he said.

“Within 20 minutes, they were up 2-0 and the subs kept coming.

“It was a credit to the girls to only be down 3-0 at half-time and they never stopped trying.

“Brit Hargreaves and Maree Fens worked hard all game in defence trying to stop the relentless Kempsey threat on goals.

“Several times young Britt saved us with some excellent tackles and lobbed some excellent through balls over the Kempsey defence for our lone striker Sophie Jones to counter-attack.”

Port FC also had midfielder Nikki Purcell filling in as goalkeeper for the absent Elly Crowther.

Purcell was instrumental in shutting down the Kempsey attacks and, to her credit, she successfully applied pressure on the rival strikers and forced them to shoot wide of the mark on a number of occasions.

Only three minutes into the second half, a change of formation and a good rev up from coach Purcell saw Port FC came out with a new attitude.


http://www.portnews.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/peloton-celebrates-milestone/1890339.aspx