WITH the remainder of the Albury-Wodonga Football Association (AWFA) up in the air, Wangaratta’s senior women took to the field on Saturday to play a catch-up match against Albury Hotspurs at South Wangaratta reserve.

The match, which was originally postponed from round nine back in May, was played in Wangaratta before the NSW state-wide lockdown came into effect, and was compliant with all COVIDSafe protocols.

After a close contest all match, the Hotspurs found the back of the net late in the game to take a 0-1 win over the Devils.

Wangaratta coach Mel Scott said the result doesn’t reflect how the game was played.

“I think we had maybe 15, 20 chances on goal but just didn’t sink it in the back of the net,” she said.

“We hit the cross bar – we actually scored but the play leading up to it was offside.

“A few things went a bit wrong for us on the weekend but I don’t think the score really reflects what the game was like.”

Scott said her team had the run of play for the first 20 minutes of play, but just couldn’t capitalise.

“We were very confident at the start with how we were playing,” she said.

“It doesn’t help with the lockdowns that’ve happened - I think that’s taken a very big effect on our gelling as a team when we’re actually playing as a team.

“That’s had an effect on us, I think that’s been the main reason.”

With their efforts going unrewarded through the second half, the Devils started to get in their own heads.

“Everyone was very determined to get the goal and when it didn’t come, that’s when heads sort of dropped and the morale dropped overall throughout the whole field,” Scott said.

“There was definitely a mental side of it.

“In the second half we just kept trying to get a goal, and it wasn’t coming for us.

“Like I said we had maybe 15, 20 chances to their maybe six, and they managed to score one.

“It’s very disheartening.”

The loss sees Wangaratta slump to fourth on the senior women’s ladder, and with the remaining AWFA season in doubt, Wangaratta will need to rally to be competitive should the finals series go ahead as scheduled.