LGSHA 2025: Spencer Park overcome slow start to take the spoils in Retravision A-grade clash with North Albany

Spencer Park’s slow start almost cost them dear again, but once more they managed to turn the tables and run out eventual 3-2 winners over North Albany on Saturday. Last week they were 2-0 down to Manypeaks before rallying to a 3-3 draw and this time they went one better to grab the victory. They were playing their Lower Great Southern HA Retravision A-grade contest without Darren Parkes, who was away coaching the LGSHA women’s team at the State Country Championships, and they missed his organisation in a scrappy first quarter. Lawson Terpstra had put Redbacks into a surprise lead, but in the blink of an eye in the second quarter Spencer Park were ahead. James Leiper equalised with a neat deflection from a penalty corner for his sixth goal of the season and then Mitchell Hathaway scored with his first to put Park ahead before half-time. Timothy Yap, with his first of the campaign, was Park’s third scorer while Redbacks kept it close with a strike from Ashley Eikelboom. Manypeaks coach Ashton Mills decided to mix things up in their contest against Mt Barker and were eventual winners 6-2. Mills played his forwards as defenders and defenders as forwards “to show each of them the others’ jobs aren’t easy” and promptly paid the price as Barker went ahead. Once things returned to normal, there was no stopping Peaks as they rattled in the goals in what Mills reckoned was their best half of hockey of the season. “Throwing them out of whack seemed to upset the apple cart and put them in a bit of a panic,” he said. “I wasn’t panicking myself, but I think that was the worst quarter we have played so far. “However, when everyone went back to their usual positions, we switched it on after the break and played really well.” Oliver Douglas, with two goals, led the way while Peaks’ other scorers were Ryan Johnson, Mitch Bradbury, Jesse Carman and Campbell Mayne. Ryan Bedford and Jared Rolt found the net for Barker.