With their season on the line the Maitland Rams will be desperate to recapture that winning feeling on the weekend when they travel to the Central Coast.
It will be down the F3 freeway at Wyong Hockey Complex on Sunday that the Rams will attempt to break a four match losing streak in a do-or-die battle against the mighty Gosford.
Gosford finished the Premier League season in third spot – 16 points ahead of the fourth placed Rams – and will start as favourites against the out of form Rams, who have not won since August 9.
But Rams coach Peter Lovell remained confident ahead of the daunting minor semi-final and said, despite not beating Gosford since last year’s dramatic semi-final fixture, this weekend was all about mental preparation.
“We had a bit of a chat about that this week and it is all about mindset,” Lovell said.
“I reminded them the last time we played them down at Gosford we were up 2-0 after 45 minutes and we were under pressure with one sub and three third graders ... but we had the right mindset.”
Lovell said David Fibbons would be the key for Gosford, and Rams defender Alex Kinsey had the job of marking him.
The Rams have lost each match to Gosford this year
(4-2, 3-2 and 6-2).
The match will start at 2pm.
In the Premier League major semi-final, Norths – the minor premiers – will take on Souths in a grand final replay of last season.
In other finals action on Sunday, Maitland’s second and sixth grade teams will play at Maitland Park.
p Rams squad: Cameron Ling, Brett Gallagher, Alex Kinsey, Martin Spencer, Ben Urquhart, Tobin Bush, Tim Lovell, Peter Urquhart, Matthew Brown, Matt Hoosen, Nathan Baker, Damien Schweinberger, Josh Orchard, Glen Meehan, Chris Thornton, Peter Lovell (coach).