“We can be satisfied with 1-1,” are the words of Marieke Dijkstra after the point draw against SCHC. Den Bosch played equal for the second time this season, but the coach is not that sour from this point draw. That had everything to do with the battered selection of the Brabanders, against a fit Stichtsche.
Three internationals watched from the sidelines Sunday afternoon at the Oosterplas. Rosa Fernig (ankle), Joosje Burg (hamstring) and Frédérique Matla (foot) are out for the next few weeks. A loss for the leaders, who filled the gap with three talents from the O18, Josephine Bekkers, Valentine Hulsbergen and Kim Peters.
‘I think we did well as a team today. Of course you prefer to win, but this is also good for us,’ said Dijkstra, who himself is struggling with a herniated disc and is also in the patch. ‘I don’t know what’s in the water here, but it’s not something good right now,’ the coach said. ‘It’s not identifiable. It’s not like there have been three upper leg complaints from something specific at practice. These are three totally different injuries, with a good dose of bad luck.’
Den Bosch’s injury trio. Photo: Bart Scheulderman
No EHL for Joosje Burg
Joosje Burg and Rosa Fernig fell out during the semi-finals of the Gold Cup against Amsterdam (win after shoot-outs). For Burg it shot in her hamstring and for Fernig her ankle went wrong in the warm-up. Frédérique Matla sprained herself against Rotterdam last weekend, suffering a tear in her foot.
‘All three will be out for the next few weeks,’ Dijkstra said. Bales for Den Bosch, especially in view of the EHL, which is being organized at their own club over Easter. ‘We know for sure that Joosje will not be fit then either. With Rosa and Frédérique we cannot make any statements about that yet. That depends on their recovery. We’re not going to rush anything.’ Looking further into the future makes no sense either. The current expectation is that everyone will be back in the lines in mid-May – exactly during the start of the playoffs.
Marieke Dijkstra with talents Kim Peters and Valentine Hulsbergen. Photo: Bart Scheulderman
Going into the playoffs as frontrunner?
After Sunday afternoon’s draw, Den Bosch also seems to enter those playoffs as the number one. The gap with SCHC is five points, with five games left to play. Everything is still going according to Dijkstra’s plan. Who deep in her heart would have preferred a win today, of course. ‘We had good pressure on them in the first half,’ she begins her analysis. ‘Only when we got ahead 1-0, we were really under pressure. Then we only manage to take control in fits and starts.’
Maartje Krekelaar had another chance to make it 2-0; she went off alone on SCHC goalkeeper Elodie Picard, but ultimately pegged the ball onto the post. ‘If we had made that one, you play a different game. That’s galling, but I think in the end it was right for them to make it 1-1.’
Charlotte Englebert with the opening goal. Photo: Bart Scheulderman
The field hockey treble
‘We just did well today and are strong as a team. Moreover, the youngsters are doing well.’ The team is still in the race for the treble. Wins in the cup, the EHL and the national championship. Winning all three competitions, no other team has succeeded yet. Den Bosch has won all titles, but not in the same season.
The coach has to laugh. A new goal to fight for. ‘During the final of the Gold Cup I am going to let more youth participate, but I am confident about that. I’m looking forward to the next few months.’
by Hockey.nl
