Berwick Miners running back Shahid Malimar suffered another setback on Saturday when he again injured his troublesome knee in his side’s loss to Croydon. 18981 Picture: Meagan Rogers.By Marc McGowan
JUST five points stopped the Berwick Miners from making a major statement to their Gridiron Victoria rivals at Sydney Pargeter Reserve on Saturday.
The Croydon Rangers pipped the Miners at the post for the second time this season, this time 18-13 with a touchdown 65 seconds from full-time.
Berwick began the clash with a 40-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Cameron Neale – giving him scores in each of his three games in 2008 – in the first quarter.
The Rangers levelled the match with a Hail Mary pass right on quarter-time before 16-year-old Miners running back Nick Vlad took centre stage in the second term.
After catching a pass from quarterback Sam Walker, Vlad dummied twice, broke a host of tackles and sprinted 50 yards into the end zone.
The play was the undoubted highlight of the afternoon and Franco Devivo’s extra point kick put Berwick ahead 13-6.
Croydon drew within a point after running in a touchdown in the third quarter, but with only minutes left in the contest the Miners still held the advantage.
It was only ill discipline – and possibly a mental lapse, according to Berwick coach Darren Shaw – that resulted in Croydon’s winning touchdown being scored.
Vlad’s performance drew rave reviews, while Mark Petana and Stuart Pontil held together the Miners’ defence.
Petana also impressed in offence as a running back in the absence of Scott Sunderland and Shahid Malimar.
The latter did not return to the field in the second half after hurting a knee for the third time this year.
Shaw has high hopes for his team after its narrow loss.
“It was probably just that little bit of experience on the Rangers’ part that got them over the line in that pressure cooker situation,” he said.
“The boys just couldn’t sustain the pressure. I did say before the game that we needed 20 points to win the game and if we’d got 20 points we would have won.
“I said to the boys afterwards that if they don’t believe they can match it with the top two sides now, nothing else will make them believe it.”
Berwick takes on the unbeaten Nunawading Warriors at Henry Turner Reserve, Footscray, on Saturday at 2pm.
