Pakenham’s Jared Goldsack dispossesses Narre Warren opponent Glenn Hamilton in his team’s nail-biting six-point victory over the Magpies at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday.By Brad Kingsbury
NARRE WARREN just failed to snatch the points from PAKENHAM in a desperate final term that saw the Lions record a six-point victory at the Toomuc Reserve on Saturday and grab outright Casey Cardinia League premiership favouritism.
Lion forward Sean Gramc goaled at the 27-minute mark of the final term to give his side a lead that was desperately defended for another three minutes before the final siren ended a classic game of country football.
Pakenham went in with a full list and the Magpies also had most of their stars available, although coach Matt Shinners decided to throw three under-18 prospects the challenge of playing against the best in the league.
The Lions hit the ground running and dominated the strangely lethargic Magpies to lead by 26 points at the first change.
As expected the reigning premiers answered the Lions challenge in the second term.
Star playmaker Brad Scalzo upped his work rate and Michael Collins got on top of Pakenham star Jared Goldsack and the Magpies came at the Lions before half-time to reduce the margin to 10 points.
The difference was 15 points at the final change and that blew out to 23 points at the 17-minute mark of the last quarter, before goals to Nick Scanlon, Lee Clark and Shane Brewster and VCFL state squad rover Ricky Clark levelled the ledger at the 24-minute mark.
Gramc slotted the winning goal, his fifth for the game, just prior to the end and Shinners, while disappointed with the loss, was pleased with the overall effort and the character his players displayed.
“I’m disappointed to lose, of course, but with the team we had on the park and the way the opposition played, I was happy that we fought back and got to where we were,” he said.
KEYSBOROUGH was comprehensively beaten by DOVETON at the Rowley Allen Reserve, severely denting the Burra’s plans for a top-three finish in 2008.
After a three-goal opening blitz, the hosts decided to put their cue in the rack and the determined and focussed visitors made a meal of the Burras’ usually unflappable system, cruising to a 44-point victory.
Many at the ground believed that the result flattered Keysborough, given it trailed by 68 points at three-quarter time.
The game opened at a furious pace with Doveton coach Tom Hallinan pulling an early surprise by playing key forward Ryan Brown in the ruck with great effect.
After the initial Keysborough burst, the Doves settled into their rhythm and worked their way to the front by 10 points at the first change.
With Brown, Ryan Hendy and Callum Pattie providing their teammates with first use of the ball, the Doves lifted their work rate over the next two quarters to put the Burra out of business.
Every Doveton player contributed as the margin blew out from 26 points at half-time to almost 12 goals at the final change.
Daly moved to centre-half forward in final term and was the prime reason for Keysborough’s improved form towards the end.
On the downside for Doveton, Hendy was reported for head-high contact and Michael Laszyzk suffered a leg injury.
HAMPTON PARK received a blow to its final-five hopes after CRANBOURNE handed the Redbacks a 27-point defeat at Casey Fields.
After the previous weekend’s walk-over against Berwick, complacency was a problem for the home side, but the fifth-placed Eagles reaction to the challenge was excellent after the long break and, had it not been for some hideous inaccuracy around goal, the margin would have been much more comfortable.
The visitors led by four points at quarter time and extended that to six points at the long break, courtesy of two goals just before the siren.
Cranbourne regrouped, came out and dominated the third term with Callum Lester and Michael Ryland providing the spark around the ball and youngster Matt Fletcher providing a second target to Marc Holt in attack.
The Eagles peppered the goals, but scored 3.7, hitting the post three times and missing several other regulation shots.
Cranbourne led by 12 points at the final change and took advantage of a number of lucky breaks to boot away to what was a good, though unspectacular win.
DEVON MEADOWS bounced back to the winners’ list at the expense of ROC, taking a step in the right direction with a 61-point victory at the Glover Reserve.
It was the Panthers’ first-ever win over ROC since the Casey Cardinia League was formed in 2005 and it was made better by the fact that they had no bench after three-quarter time.
Former AFL star Aaron Henneman had a hand in his side’s first five goals and along with captain Jesse Dehey, applied some devastating physical pressure to the young Kangaroos in first quarter, setting the scene for the day.
The game was effectively iced in the first quarter when Devon Meadows booted 10 goals to two with the game developing into a hometown procession with Matt Davey (five goals) and Craig Hunter (four) joining the fun.
On the downside for the victors was a collarbone injury to Tim Blundy that may keep him sidelined for the rest of the year.
The tumultuous 2008 season lurched on for BERWICK at the Edwin Flack Reserve with the Wickers scoring their second victory of the year by 29 points over a determined, but inferior, TOORADIN.
Emotions were high at Wickerland after the death of elder statesman and club legend Jim Hower early in the week, together with a players meeting at which coach Ronnie Burns offered to stand down after last weekend’s belting by Cranbourne.
However the players rallied behind Burns and showed spirit to bounce back on field to down the spirited Seagulls in honour of Hower.
Burns gave the club’s talented junior prospects led by Jarryd Buntine, Ben De Riter, Riley Heddles and Nathan Talbert senior game time and the experience of captain David VanDiemen, Tuck, and Paul VanSchilt that saw the home side to victory.
In Nepean League action PEARCEDALE coveted the ‘Bushman’s Cup’ with a thrilling, come-from-behind three-point victory over LANGWARRIN
Burly Panther spearhead Kerem Baskaya booted six goals in the important win and was joined among the vote-catchers by ex-Casey Cardinia League players Tim Robertson and rover Daniel Field.
The win consolidated Pearcedale’s hold on fifth ladder position over Dromana that had the bye.
