A four-game winning streak for the Gunnedah Poochettes came to a screeching halt, as the Inverell Saints charged to a 10.8.68 to 0.1.1 win at Wolseley Park last Saturday.

The battle of the top two teams in the AFL North West women’s competition turned out to be anticlimactic, one week after Gunnedah beat the third-placed Tamworth Kangaroos 8.10.58 to 0.1.1.

Last Saturday’s result produced Gunnedah’s second defeat of the year, with the first occurring back in round one on the first Saturday in May when the Saints won 5.5.35 to 3.7.25 at home.

The effort from the Poochettes could not be faulted as they were physically up for last Saturday’s battle, but they struggled to make an impact when they entered the forward line.

The Saints were stronger in the backline and also had better support play, and they took their opportunities as Katrina Doak landed five goals.

Inverell landed two goals and one behind in each of the first two quarters, with Kayla Sims and Hannah Fotheringham kicking the majors in the first term before Doak landed both in the second term.

Clare McCosker, Doak and Sims found the target in the third term, as the Saints worked their way to a 7.6.48 to 0 lead with one quarter remaining.

The hosts avoided the embarrassment of being held scoreless when they landed a behind in the final quarter, and the commitment from the Poochettes was further evident when Macey Carlyon produced a brilliant tackle.

The scoreline blew out, however, as a major to Asha McCarthy was followed by two six-pointers from Doak.

Poochettes skipper Alexa Walker said afterwards, “I definitely don’t think that the score reflected the intensity of the game.

“Unfortunately it was not our best game, but we’ve got a lot to improve on now.

“We were even having a chat in the sheds about what we want to do now moving forward as a team, and what that means for the rest of the season.”

Although last Saturday’s line-up was below full strength as Charlotte Renshaw, Braie Devine, Chelsea Palmer and Meg Foster didn’t play, Walker said the Poochettes still had a strong enough team to do the job.

“I have full faith in the side that we do have,” she said.

“We just need to make sure that we’re turning up to the game regardless of who is on the field, and giving 110 per cent.”

Walker said a loss “is always going to sting” but also “a loss isn’t the end” while it was a case of “onwards and upwards”.

“The loss is just a learning hurdle, something that we grow from as a team and as players.”

Walker said the defeat wasn’t an ambush, while the Poochettes always ensured they trained hard in the weeks leading up to their contests with the Saints.

“(We were) working on a few things that are often specific to Inverell games including the physicality of the games, just making sure that we’re prepared for that,” she said.

“I think there was a few things highlighted that we want to make sure that we’re doing, moving forward including how we’re getting around some of our older ones, but also how some of our senior ones are pushing up and leading the way.”

Following a round of representative football this weekend, the clubs return to action on July 5.

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