Albany marked a day of upsets in the Dunedin club competition on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Kings United, thanks to a couple of screamers by Jakob Annison.
The game had started with Kings commanding both possession and territory and it was a counterattack by Albany that started things off.
The first goal came after a lovely ball down the left wing gave Annison room to judge a shot in the box and he took full advantage to put the Alligators into the lead.
It was a goal against the run of play, as Kings set up camp in the Albany half for much of the first quarter.
Kings had a penalty corner and were given a stroke after an Albany player contacted the ball behind the goalkeeper.
Dylan Thomas took the shot but it was saved by goalie Felix McIntosh, to keep Albany with the 1-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
An attacking rush by Albany was initially denied by the Kings goalie but he could not defend the rebound, which landed just right for Annison to score his second goal.
Kings were playing in the right area but seemed unable deliver the final touches, whereas Albany made the most of its chances.
Albany struck again, through Nick Parata, to extend the lead to 3-0, but Kings eventually struck back, when William McNaughton provided the dink into goal from a cross.
The third quarter did not produce much of note and both teams headed to the final quarter with the Alligators leading 3-1.
In the final stages of the game, Kings relentlessly drove on Albany, but it clung on to the two-goal lead.
Alligators goalie Felix McIntosh earned his keep in the final quarter with numerous saves. It was easily his side’s best performance of the season.
The return of Friday night hockey led to Kings beating the Uni Black Panthers 10-0.
Connor Hoskin and Daniel Torr registered hat-tricks and Charles Darling, Craig Turner, Sam Gradwell and Jack McLean also scored.
The Uni Blue Whales caused the upset of the season with a 5-2 win over Taieri, claiming the Challenge Shield, after leading 3-0 midway through the second quarter.
Thomas Hatherly led the Blue Whales with a double, and Henry Will, Josh Wypych and Jakob Bell-Kake also scored. Jordan Ward and Matthew Deller scored for the Tuataras.
In the first game of a women’s weekend double-header between Momona A and Uni Huskies, Momona won 2-1, Taylor Duffy and Angelique Peyroux scoring. Silvie Irwin scored the Huskies’ goal.
The teams were playing again yesterday.
City maintained its grip on pole position with a 4-2 win over Taieri, thanks to a double from Tegan Buchannan and goals from Jordan Cunningham and Nicole Arundell.
Sophie Gray and Katie Hunt scored for the Tigers.
Kings Women beat the Varsity Stingrays 4-0.
Ella Rooney, Holly Riddick, Sarah Johnstone and Zoe Thomas were the scorers.
- Jack Ward
