THE Dubbo Blue Jays' blend of youth and experience will be put to the test tomorrow when they face Premier League high-flyers Bathurst City at Pioneer Park.
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A week after they tasted success at a Masters carnival, defenders Kate Corcoran and Tracey Sallustio will be keys as the side faces one of their biggest tests of the season.
City currently sit five spots above the Blue Jays on the competition ladder, with 11 wins and just three losses on their record added to a draw with ladder-leaders Lithgow Panthers in their most recent outing.
And while coach Graeme Waters knows his side faces a tough task he admits he is expecting a good performance.
"The girls have been playing well and even though this will be a hard game for us I expect they will go out and compete hard," Waters said.
"Prior to the break last week we had a draw with Zig Zag, and even though we got beat 7-1 the week before we conceded a bunch of goals in a 10-minute burst before half-time and came back to hold them to 2-1 in the second half.
"The good thing we can take from our results this year is that the girls feel themselves that they are playing some good hockey but they also know they're mainly a young side and they don't always get the rewards for playing well."
The Blue Jays have just two matches remaining in their 2014 campaign, with tomorrow's fixture followed by a home clash against Parkes seven days later.
Showing the disparity between the Dubbo side and their opponents tomorrow is the fact the Bathurst side has scored 53 goals and conceded just 18 this year, while the Blue Jays record reads 29 goals scored and 55 against.
Knowing their season is coming to an end, Waters said he wants his players to finish on a high.
"The girls are a much better side now than they were at the start of the year and it would be nice to get a couple of good results to finish the season well," he said.
"Having those two girls win the Masters competition last weekend is good for their confidence, and Kate and Tracey are important because they provide a bit of stability at the back and they communicate well.
"If we can finish the year well it sets the scene a bit for next year, so hopefully we can play well in these next two games."
