League action at the weekend as Cardinals scored a 2-1 win at Nationals.

A mostly uneventful first half was transformed into a more exciting second half as Cardinals dominated play, bombarding the Orioles goal area.

Michelle Clark netted the first Cardinals goal while at the other end Orioles were prevented from levelling the score as Vicky Johnston made an excellent save for the Reds.

Cardinals put the match out of Orioles' reach with a second goal when Maria Pichery nudged the ball over the goal-line.

In the other A League match Bluebirds edged by Swifts 3-2 as the Swifts played with virtually their B League team from an earlier game after they were only able to field three fresh players.

The Bluebirds were first on the scoreboard, but shortly after Megan Leitch scored her first ever goal for Swifts from a short corner penalty. Before the halftime whistle, Bluebirds scored again and after the break they came out firing and added another to make it 3-1.

However, a very tenacious Swifts team pulled one back in the dying minutes when Kim Frith received a long ball and dribbled her way through the Bluebirds defence to score.

In the B League, Orioles came from behind to beat Cardinals 2-1. Michelle Clark opened the scoring for the Cards in the first half when she netted from a rebound which came off the goalkeeper's pads.

Orioles equalised in the second half when Liz Adderley scored off a penalty corner. Orioles continued to gain momentum and 15 minutes later Adderley scored again from a short corner, with a well placed hit from just inside the `D'.

Swifts' young B League team continued to play solid hockey without getting any reward as they passed, tackled and dribbled well throughout their match with Bluebirds but still lost 1-0. The match remained a stalemate until the final five minutes when Jenna Robinson, the Swifts goalkeeper, lifted her foot to allow the ball in, thinking, as did the rest of the team, that the ball was hit from outside the circle.

The error cost Swifts their first point of the season as the goal by Ingrid McKenna stood!