Forge claim three-peat with final win at The Fly 2024
Forge claimed their third successive The Fly title after a 12-11 victory over challengers Hustle in The Fly 2024 final at Rosslyn Park on Sunday.
Captain Liv Wimpenny scored four and Sofia Wise hit a hat-trick as Forge came out on top after one of the tightest finals in The Fly history.
The game started in typically tense fashion but it was Hustle who claimed first blood when Minty Loxton-Barnard scored after two minutes.
Forge hit back quickly through Wise but it was Hustle who took the lead once again when captain Emma Oakley made the score 2-1.
The team in green and black ensured they went in at quarter-time on levels terms, though, as Cece Green added her name to the scoresheet to level things up at 2-2 with 30 seconds left.
Any fans hoping for a flood of goals in the second quarter were left disappointed as the nail-biting contest continued.
Forge took the lead for the first time two minutes into the quarter as Wise hit her second of the match before Hannah Whiteley equalised for Hustle shortly after.
Forge flexed their muscles once again to take a 4-3 lead through Wimpenny but were pegged back when Lauren Lewis fired in half-way through the quarter.
In the third quarter, double the amount of goals were scored but the teams remained inseparable as Whiteley, Loxton-Barnard (x2), and Anna Neville scored for Hustle and Laura Beaman, Wimpenny, Phoebe Smith, and Wise scored for Forge to see the scores locked at 8-8 going into the final eight minutes.
Ella Cohen scored her only goal of the game to put Forge ahead before Hannah Thurston drew Hustle level at 9-9.
The theme of Hustle always chasing the game continued as Forge scored their 10th through Wimpenny before Oakley scored Hustle’s 10th with just under five minutes remaining in the match.
Wimpenny put Forge back in front with her fourth goal and with four minutes to go Loxton-Barnard scored her fourth to make it 11-11.
Then, with just two minutes left in the game, Cece Green picked up the ball inside Forge’s half and drove forward, dropping the ball just on the half-way line; after picking up the ground ball, Green continued to drive forward before passing to Phoebe Thornett who was lurking on the edge of the crease.
After receiving the feed, Thornett took one step and fired past Dylan Whittington in the Hustle goal to put Forge within touching distance of a third title.
Within the last minute, Forge’s Harriet Mann was required to make two crucial stops with her feet to keep Hustle out and see her team claim The Fly 2024 trophy.
MVP | Liv Wimpenny (Forge)
MVG | Dylan Whittington (Hustle)
Final Standings
Forge
Hustle
Swift
Rise