The Goldfields women’s team followed up an exciting come-from-behind 2 all draw against Gisborne last week with a win against Lara.

Facing a two-goal deficit at half time in Gisborne, coach Ray West had made some successful positional changes with Tahnee Ollerton and Bridget Woods finding the net after passages of great team play.

Keeping the same structures for the match against Lara, but with no substitutes, scoring pressure came early with Angela West hitting the crossbar and then the post after Eve Merton threaded the ball down the left wing.

Kate Forrest and Jayde Steer consistently dispossessed Lara strikers at the half way line and Edwina Reid regularly found herself on the end of great crosses from Lyn West or Kate Parnell and forced a string of corners. Unfortunately none were converted but in the last minutes of the half Bridget Woods headed in a ball that had rebounded from the crossbar from her running shot.

Lyn West gave a brilliant display of defensive heading that frustrated the Lara keeper who seemed to be picking her out intentionally.

After half time Castlemaine enjoyed another run of corners and shots at goal that kept the crowd entertained. Sarah McComb was unlucky not to score in both halves with Tahnee Ollerton pushing balls into the middle after great tackling displays.

Eventually the pressure caused an apparent own goal when one corner kick skidded through a crowd of legs and into the net.

Castlemaine seemed to be a little flat after the run of unsuccessful scoring opportunities and Lara replied when a lone striker collected a rebounded ball and took on Cat Gaggin in the box. It took a powerful kick to beat Cat who had an otherwise faultless day keeping.

Final score” 2-1 to Castlemaine.