Mudgee District Hockey Association concludes their season on Saturday with their grand final featuring the two most even teams of the competition.
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IC Cool and Travel and Cruise (TC) will go head-to-head at West End to see which team will finish as premiers.
Nothing has separated the teams throughout the season.
Three weeks ago in the last round of the competition IC Cool got a 2-1 win. They not only stole the match from TC but also the minor premiership.
They were handed top spot on goal difference.
A week later the two played again in the major semi-final and it was another late goal by IC Cool, which saw them the first team into the grand final.
TC had to come through the back door with a preliminary final win over Macquarie Valley Juice last week.
But one thing is for sure, it will be a tight match.
“It’s going to be a fast-flowing match now that [Mid-Western Regional] Council have mowed the grass. It will be fast,” IC Cool’s injured player Dave Lumsden said.
TC’s Jo Ioane said there won’t be that many goals considering previous encounters between the teams have been tight.
“It has been a close competition all year. There won’t be a lot of goals scored but it will be close,” she said.
“Both teams play different styles of hockey. If we stick to our game plan, I think we will be able to do well.”
TC missed out on the grand final last year but were happy to make it in 2014.
“We are all fairly excited to be in the grand final,” Ioane said.
“We have had a good year with the team training and playing together.”
IC Cool did play in the decider in 2013 but were beaten by Wests.
“Everyone is keen. We were disappointed last year to lose 4-2 to Wests,” Lumsden said.
Matt Stanley was missing from last year’s decider, which Lumsden said contributed to the loss.
But Stanley will play on Saturday.
“He is a great defender and he is quick of the mark. We missed him in the final last year,” Lumsden said.
“Damien Sutcliffe is another who is a key for us. He has great stick skills, traps really well and has a good eye for a goal.”
TC also have players who they will heavily rely on.
“Dave Scales is a key player. He helps with all the organising,” Ioane said.
“Young Nick McLehose is also another pretty handy player. He can score some goals.”
The grand final will be played at 1pm on Saturday at West End.
The association will have its annual general meeting and presentation later in the day at the Mudgee Rugby Club’s clubhouse.