Pies make their point

By Brad Kingsbury
NARRE WARREN won a nailbiting clash with DEVON MEADOWS by the barest of margins at Fox Road on Saturday, after the Panthers led all day except for the last five seconds of the match.
The young Magpies found a way to win, despite being hamstrung by the absence of injured senior players including Brett Evans and captain Glenn Hamilton.
The home side went in as warm favourites, but was led by the determined physically imposing Panthers at every change.
Magpies Tim Werner, Guy Miller, Lee Boyle and Daniel Uzarevic were all injured and off the ground for the rest of the afternoon before three-quarter time, so it was down to the bare bones for the Magpies in a desperate final quarter.
Devon Meadows retained a slender lead until the dying minute when young ruckman Daniel Kirby marked 25 metres out on a slight angle. Despite goalkicking not being his forte, he kicked truly to level the scores.
The Magpies then broke from the centre again and Daniel Borninkhof bounced his way into attack and handballed to teenager Nathan Brewster who scrambled the winning behind just seconds before the final siren.
Triumphant coach Matt Shinners gave credit to the unlucky Panthers during the post-match euphoria. “It was a terrific win, but they were probably a bit unlucky really. They were in front of us all day and they really stretched us in height,” he said.
Bitterly disappointed coach Steve O’Brien gave his players a dressing down afterwards and said a last-quarter lapse had cost them the match.
HAMPTON PARK celebrated the 50-year reunion of its first-ever premiership side by outplaying third-placed CRANBOURNE from start to finish of their clash at the Booth Reserve, recording a 21-point victory.
The Redbacks stunned their opponents with aggression and ferocity at the ball, booting away to a 15-point lead at the first break on the back of three quick goals from charismatic spearhead Kevin McLean. The home side never looked back or gave the Eagles a chance to regroup from that time on, leading for the rest of the day.
Cranbourne players like to build their momentum, but their forwards were harassed from the word go and the efficiency with which they deliver the ball was missing, although Callum Lester, Nick Barker and rising star Max Gearon continued to present throughout the afternoon.
It was the Redback youngsters who led the way with Brady White, Luke Nunan and Chris Barnes leading their opponents to the ball and producing the spark for the home side to play its best game of the season to date.
The victory was made even better given that Hampton Park was hit by injuries to several players including coach Josh Taylor and lanky ruckman Shane Moffatt as the game went on.
Undefeated ladder leaders DOVETON won Saturday’s match against winless KEYSBOROUGH by 91 points at the Robinson Reserve.
Doveton rover Michael Henry sparked his team-mates into action, backing up his recent return to form with a best afield effort. The game was effectively shot in the first half, with Burra coach Greg Siwes playing extra men behind the ball in an attempt to shut down the Doves’ goal-scoring options.
Shaun Witherden’s battle with star Dove ruckman Russell Gabriel was a highlight of the afternoon, as was the effort of Doveton’s attack which boasted 12 goalkickers to produce its 19 goals.
However, the Doves are not reliant on any one player to win their games and the writing was on the wall early with the Doves’ lead increasing at each break.
While the Doves lost DanielCharles before the game, Keysborough’s shocking run of outs has not helped the cause with Michael Downie and Matthew Freeman on the long-term injury list, however coach Greg Siwes did not use that as an excuse.
BEACONSFIELD held on to defeat ROC by three points after treating the big crowd at Starling Road to a top-class game of tough and uncompromising football.
Less than a kick separated the neighbouring rivals at the final siren and all players, together with most spectators, were completely spent as the post-mortems began over a few cool drinks in the Kangaroos social rooms.
The match always had a little extra spice attached to it after the defection of senior Eagles Kym Jones and Ash Comer who followed new coach and midfielder Kris Fletcher to Starling Road in the off season.
BERWICK’S horror run of injuries continued and played a major part in the senior side’s 38-point loss to PAKENHAM at the Edwin Flack Reserve.
After an even first half the Wickers were reduced to 19 men just before half-time andLions coach Michael Holland took full advantage by rotating his playmakers heavily in the second half and over-running the tiring home side.
As the battle for control raged, Berwick suffered blows with early game-ending injuries to Michael Hannigan, Brad Miles and leading full-forward Grant Noonan.
Pakenham seized the advantage in the third term and, led by star runners Jared Goldsack, Luke Walker and Dean Blake, piled on six goals to take an unassailable 27-point lead into the three-quarter-time break.
PEARCEDALE blew a chance to secure a top-five position with a disappointing 32-point loss to FRANKSTON BOMBERS in Nepean League.
The Panthers loomed at half-time, trailing by only eight points, but the Bombers were too slick after the long break with Nathan Lonie and Brian O’Carroll taking control at the stoppages.