By David Nagel
Beaconsfield has bounced back strongly from its worst performance of the Eastern Division One season to comfortably down Bayswater by 32 points on Saturday.
An ‘out-of-kilter’ Eagles were pumped by 70 points by reigning-premier Mitcham last week; an effort that stacks up reasonably well now after the Tigers performed a further demolition job on the previously undefeated Park Orchards on the weekend.
Beaconsfield’s 13.14(92) to 9.6(60) victory sees it sit in fifth place – equal on points with third – at the half-way point of the season.
The Eagles were once again without key pillars at either end of the ground, with Jake Bowd and Brandon White sitting on the sidelines.
Coach Mick Fogarty off-set those losses this week with the inclusion of clever forward-mid Darren Minchington, playing his first game since round one, while Jack Docherty returned to backline duties after missing the game against Mitcham.
Kobe Shipp also returned to bolster the backline, while Kade De La Rue would have a huge impact through the midfield in just his third outing in Eagles’ colours this year.
After last week’s belting; the Eagles were keen to start quickly.
But the Eagles looked set for a long day at the office as the Kangaroos had two on the board early.
The robust Bryce Galvin took the first of a handful of strong marks for the day before the classy Paul Hassbroek drilled a long bomb to have a vocal home-crowd on their feet.
The Eagles fought back well heading to quarter time, with Charlie Muley converting a set shot, and Minchington then welcoming himself back to senior footy with a left-foot snap that saw the visitors take a four-point advantage to the first break.
Damien Johnston, Devon Smith, Tylah Stokoe and De La Rue were proving a handful for the home side through the midfield, with the Eagles playing some of their best football in the second term.
Some great in-and-under work from De La Rue set up Myles Currie for the second-quarter opener, before Galvin responded with another strong grab for the Kangas.
Nathan Wright then showed his class with a fantastic finish from the boundary, before De La Rue once again turned provider; this time setting up Minchington.
Hassbroek and Galvin then cut the second-quarter margin back to five points, before Smith responded with a banana, before De La Rue capped off a brilliant quarter of football with a quality finish after a determined ‘run-down’ tackle.
The Eagles led by 17 points at half time, and extended that to a ‘game-high’ 21 points after Hayden Brough dribbled one through to kick the opening goal of the third.
But Bayswater responded well, kicking four of the next six to cut the deficit to just eight points at three-quarter time.
Despite the disappointing finish to the third term; the Eagles did kick one of the ‘goals of the year’ during it.
A Lachie Valentine kick out from full back found ruckman Finn Devine on the lead, who handballed to Stokoe who kicked long to centre wing.
Wright brilliantly crumbed a marking contest before kicking long to Brough on the run.
Brough handballed over the top to Muley who strolled in for an open goal.
The ball had travelled from one end of the ground to the other, without touching the deck, in a passage of play that summed out how dangerous these Eagles can be when they run and carry and test the legs of their opponents.
The fourth quarter was all Beaconsfield, who kicked 3.6 to 0.0 in the final term to walk away with the four points.
Brough slotted a set shot, before Lachie Modica capped off a great game on the wing with a long goal on the run; to make it two goals in a minute.
Muley then finished off a good win for the Eagles after a ‘quick-thinking’ switch from Modica.
Muley ended the day with three goals for the winners, while two each to Brough, Currie and Minchington gave the Kangaroos defenders a little too much to think about over the four quarters of footy.
Johnston continued his terrific form around the stoppages with another rock-solid display, while the set-up plays of De La Rue helped his teammates to crucial goals.
Modica’s height and pace were noticeable on the wing, while Shipp provided an important ‘rudder’ down back.
The Eagles now get to rest their aching legs for a week, before heading to bottom-placed Wantirna South on Saturday 15 June.
BAYSWATER 2.1 5.2 9.6 9.6(60)
BEACONSFIELD 2.5 7.7 10.8 13.14(92)
Bayswater Goals: Bryce Galvin 4, Paul Haasbroek 3, Thomas Maxwell, Chris Rumble. Best: Bryce Galvin, Timothy Castricum, Ben White, Troy Maggs, Christian Poe, Matthew Higgins.
Beaconsfield Goals: Charlie Muley 3, Hayden Brough 2, Myles Currie 2, Darren Minchington 2, Kade De La Rue, Lachlan Modica, Devon Smith, Nathan Wright. Best: Damien Johnston, Nathan Wright, Kade De La Rue, Kobe Shipp, Lachlan Modica, Devon Smith.
Other Games: Mitcham 15.8(98) def Park Orchards 3.13(31), Montrose 20.13(133) def Wantirna South 5.10(40), Mooroolbark 15.8(98) def Doncaster 6.8(44), North Ringwood 6.11(47) def by South Belgrave 11.10(76).
Ladder R9: Park Orchards 32, South Belgrave 28, Mitcham, Montrose, Beaconsfield 24, Mooroolbark 20, Bayswater 12, North Ringwood, Doncaster 8, Wantirna South 0.
Fixture R10 (June 15): Wantirna South (10) v Beaconsfield (5), Doncaster (9) v Montrose (4), Mooroolbark (6) v Park Orchards (1), North Ringwood (8) v Bayswater (7), South Belgrave (2) v Mitcham (3).
