BOUNCE BACK: Kinross-CYMS shake the hands of their Lithgow Zig Zag opponents following a 2-1 loss last weekend. Pete Shea's side is looking to bounce back against Dubbo today. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0316cymszig1
KINROSS-CYMS mentor Pete Shea says his side will be “guarded” against new women’s Premier League Hockey outfit Dubbo today in Orange.
The two go head-to-head for the first time this season at the Orange Hockey Complex with both Kinross-CYMS and the Blue Jays entering the round two encounter having suffered defeat in the premiership’s opening round.
Dubbo’s loss, though, has Shea worried.
“Just from looking at some of their results in trial games and even last weekend against St Pat’s, they’re a bit of an unknown,” he said, with the Blue Jay’s 1-0 defeat against a strong Bathurst St Pat’s outfit enough to prick Shea’s ears.
“Despite St Pat’s saying they missed a number of opportunities, Dubbo still came away with a 1-0 loss against one of the better sides in this year’s competition.
“We’ve got to be guarded going into this weekend’s game.”
Kinross-CYMS themselves will be looking for their first win of the season today.
Going down 2-1 against Lithgow Zig Zag last weekend, Shea said there was still plenty of improvement left in his youthful squad.
Improvement that’ll be enhanced with the return of Rachel Divall and Madie Smith, two young stars away last week thanks to NSW state trials.
“Our pattern is something that let us down last week. Knowing where to put the ball, who to give it to and when. We created a lot of opportunities. It’s now just a matter of turning those opportunities into outcomes, either short corners or goals,” Shea said.
Goalkeeper Amy Symons is still out of action.
Kinross-CYMS tackle Dubbo Blue Jays from 2.35pm today in Orange.
In the round’s other games Bathurst Souths take on cross-town rivals Bathurst St Pat’s, Zig Zag play Panthers in the Lithgow derby and Bathurst City will travel to Parkes for round two.