The Aussies had their work cut out for them at the Sengkang Hockey Stadium today as they took on powerhouse European side Belgium.

In a hard-fought physical match, Australia showed their strength and determination to come away with a win, 6-3.

“We had to fight to the very end,” team captain Luke Noblett said after the match. “We had to fight for every goal.”

The green and gold dominated the start of play, grabbing three penalty corners in the first 10 minutes although they were unable to capitalise.

A well-constructed play in the 12th minute saw 16-year-old Rory Middleton sweep a field goal to put Australia on the board.

The Belgians did not allow the point to stand alone long however, securing a penalty corner which they were eventually able to convert to an equalising goal.

With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Belgium scored again off a penalty corner, with Benjamin van Dam’s shot proving too good for Aussie goalkeeper Andrew Butturini.

Australia matched the goal moments later with Jeremy Hayward knocking a goal in off a penalty corner.

The Belgians looked to have one more chance at scoring in the first half but a huge save from Butturini saw the Aussies maintain the tie going into the break.

Both teams came into the second half with fire in their bellies and an intense 35 minutes of hockey ensued.

“Coach told us to just play hockey, play our normal game,” Noblett said of the half-time advice from coach Paul Gaudoin. “We play for each other, run for each other.”

Belgium came in with a different tactic, changing up their normal game with a fast-paced attack from the moment the second half started.

An expert block by Queenslander Robert Bell in the eighth minute saved an imminent field goal however Beligum turned it round soon after, converting a penalty corner to take a 3-2 lead.

After another Butturini save in the 50th minute, the game became a physical jostle with tempers and hockey sticks flying. The argy-bargy saw warning cards issued thick and fast to both sides.

“I think it was just excitement and passion,” Noblett explained. “Everyone wanted to get the ball, to play hard.”

Noblett sent the big Aussie crowd wild when he scored a field goal in the 58th minute equalling the scores once more. His heroics were short-lived however, receiving a yellow card just seconds later.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan Willott matched the goal just moments later, bringing the Aussie goal haul to five.

The crowd-pleasing goal of the game came in the 63rd minute when 16-year-old Daniel Beale ran almost the length of the pitch and flicked the ball past a wall of Belgium defenders to score Australia’s fifth goal.

“It was really nice to get that goal after the fight we’d had during the game,” Beale said.

The dying minutes of the game saw a Belgium player hit the deck requiring medical attention and Noblett notch up one more goal for the Aussies, bringing the final score to 6-3.

“We were all really looking forward to a tough game and having a close game up our sleeves is really good,” Noblett said.

Alice Wheeler
AOC