Doveton’s Aaron Henwood fires off a handpass despite Pakenham star Luke Walker’s close attention on Saturday. 32112 Picture: Luke PlummerBy Brad Kingsbury
DOVETON exposed weaknesses in almost every area of PAKENHAM’s game to ease down and win by 39 points, after leading by a massive 87points at three-quarter time in Saturday’s match of the day at the Toomuc Reserve.
A last-quarter surge that produced eight unanswered goals saved some face for Pakenham supporters and flattered the final scoreline.
The Lions’ lack of attack on the ball and physical presence was evident from the opening bounce onwards.
Pakenham was dominated at the stoppages with Doveton ruckman Russell Gabriel proving too mobile for Jeremy Everett and Daniel Charles, Michael Henry and Aaron Henwood consistently pushed their opponents aside to feed the ball out to running set-up experts like Ryan Hendy and Shannon Henwood.
After Doveton booted a goal in the opening minute of play there was a 15-minute settling-in period before the floodgates opened and the Doves piled five more majors to keep the Lions goalless and trailing by 30 points at the first change.
Doveton outran the usually swift home side and the Lions were further exposed when interleague defender Beau Wheeler left the field with a leg spasm and did not return.
The Pakenham attack was impotent with Daniel Fry, Glen Wouters, Jake Matthews and Clint Walker lumbering behind their Doveton opponents and allowing the ball to be cleared by the slick Doveton defence led by Ricky Hayes, Peter Greenstreet and emerging young big man Daniel Zarjac.
At the other end Nathan Brown had a great battle with Danny Casset, while Lion defenders Tom O’Loughlin and Josh Winter battled hard to repel persistent waves of attack from the rampant Doves.
With a margin of 46 points at half time, the game was well within the Doves keeping but there was no hint of protecting the advantage and the crowd was treated to a show of all-out attack in the third term.
This was highlighted by a trademark Casset ‘speccy’ and goal, together with a quarter of complete dominance from Gabriel as a big-marking, mobile, modern-day ruckman.
A triple-figure belting loomed as a genuine possibility with the difference at three-quarter almost 15 goals, however the Lions made a late bid for some respectability with an eight-goal-to-none final term.
This was thanks largely to the efforts of Matt Wouters in attack, John Atwell and Luke Walker, who finally broke free late in the game.
CRANBOURNE taught ROC a 69-point lesson after a spirited contest at Casey Fields.
While the margin probably flattered the Eagles slightly, there was no doubting the class of the home side when the game was there to be won.
Cranbourne got off to a good start with key forward and captain Marc Holt on target and youngsters Max Gearon and Michael Boland joining forces with Matt Thompson and Matt Fletcher to maintain supply into the Eagles’ forward half.
ROC runners Greg Tivendale, Scott Rossborough, Ash Comer and coach Kris Fletcher enjoyed the open spaces of the big ground, but were frustrated by a lack of potency in attack.
Two goals to the Eagles midway through the third term put the game beyond the visitors’ reach and the match played out fairly predictably after that.
Holt, who had a slow start to the season, hit form with seven goals in a best-afield performance.
BEACONSFIELD was out-gunned by NARRE WARREN at the Perc Alison Oval, with the young Magpies bolting away to record a 92-point win.
Opposing coaches Matt Shinners and Robbie Taylor put all their faith in the emerging young players with both sides dominated by products of their under-18 development squads, but it was the Magpies who rose to the required level on the day.
Shinners started captain Glenn Hamilton, who had been playing in the midfield, at half-back and sent experienced defender Steven Kidd to Eagles’ match-winner Andrew Williams.
Both moves worked well, but left Brett Evans looking like a kindergarten teacher surrounded by his students at full-forward.
After an evenly fought first quarter the sting went out of the home side and Beaconsfield piled on eight goals to one to take a 55-point lead into the half-time break.
Magpie playmaker Daniel Borninkhof continued his interleague form with a dominant game through the midfield, while young gun Nathan Brewster created a damaging target in attack.
HAMPTON PARK broke free for its first win of 2009, downing KEYSBOROUGH by 37 points.
The Burra unveiled new recruit, former Carlton defender Darren Hulme, but lost key forwards Greg Walker and Tyson King before, putting all the goalkicking onus on veteran spearhead Luke McGuinness.
There was only four points in it at half-time, but it was the Redbacks who came out and attacked the game better after the long break.
Shane Moffatt had an enthralling ruck battle with Burra big man Shaun Witherden, while Josh Taylor and Kevin McLean (both five goals) created good targets in attack.
McGuinness finished the day with six goals to be one of his side’s few shining lights, while Hampton Park’s best included Matthew Dixon and youngster Brady White.
BERWICK overcame a sluggish start and a hard-running opponent to down TOORADIN by 15 points in an entertaining game at the Western Port oval.
After an evenly fought first term the Wickers put the foot down to kick away by four goals in the second term, but Tooradin hit back on the back of midfielders Beau Miller and Rory Gilliatte to trail by only four points at the half-time break.
It was Berwick that showed the superior poise under pressure in the final term with spearhead Grant Noonan finishing the day with 10 goals and seeing his side home, along with best afield Jason Heath who took complete control of the game at centre half-forward.
PEARCEDALE signalled that it was a genuine finals’ contender with a 76-point drubbing of CRIB POINT in Nepean League.
Former Hampton Park spearhead Kerem Baskaya booted nine goals, while Luke Damon, Dan Besley and Shane Urbans had sensational games.
