Hockey: Strikers confident ahead of big challenge

The South West Strikers face their biggest test of the season when they take on runaway Willow Bridge Cup leaders Rockingham on the Bunbury Hockley Stadium at 1.45pm on Saturday.

Coach Allan McGeoch said he and his men were looking forward to the challenge.

Last week a depleted Strikers, missing five players, held a territorial advantage over Modernians but finished with a scoreless draw in Busselton.

Goalkeeper Tim Bray, key defender Geoff Neaves and youngsters Nayton Colombera, Michael Nicoli and Elliott Barton were all missing.

The return of that slice of talent plus the eagerly anticipated challenge for former Classic Leaguers Mat Mellor, Corey Letts, Chris and Geoff Neaves will have the team keen to take on Rockingham, who defeated the Strikers 3-2 first time they met this season.

‘‘I was new to the team, half the side were newcomers and it was just a few weeks after we started training in our first hitout and we still held them to the closest call they have faced this season,’’ McGeoch said.

‘‘We have been together for half a season now and the improvement is marked.’’

Comparative figures point a damning statistic for the Strikers.

Rockingham have lost just one match this season, to champions Peel, and have scored 42 goals against 14.

The Strikers have managed just 13 to date with 11 against, but McGeoch said his side was undaunted.

‘‘We are in this competition for real and if we want to win it we have to beat everybody and what better way to start than against the leaders,’’ he said.

‘‘We have been dominating games but just fail to finish and when we do, watch out anybody in our league.’’