Doveton’s Peter Greenstreet avoids his Devon Meadows counterpart Patrick Harmes in the clubs’ under 18 clash on the weekend. Picture courtesy Scott Memery.By Brad Kingsbury
DOVETON overcame the absence of suspended captain Clint Wilson to dominate and comfortably down DEVON MEADOWS by 60 points at Robinson Reserve in their Casey Cardinia league round 14 match on Saturday.
The Doves remain in fourth position and will be hoping that third-placed Keysborough slips up in one of its four remaining home and away games.
The game marked Panthers coach Steve O’Brien’s first return to his old club as an opposing coach, and it was not the homecoming he had planned, with the Doves taking full advantage of a steady four-goal breeze in the opening term to blow out to a 41-point lead at quarter time and effectively control the game.
Panther star Aaron Henneman was used loose in defence during the first quarter but the Doves’ dominance in the midfield through the class of Ryan Hendy, Shannon Henwood and young ruckman Daniel Zarjac proved the difference.
While big-marking forward Ryan Brown was well held by Panther Barry Parsons, avenues to goal were open through Ryan Pearson, Rohan Scott and Michael Henry, and the Panthers simply did not have the defenders to stop the flow.
The margin was 10 goals at the long break after Doveton continued its domination against the breeze.
O’Brien rejigged his side at the long break and asked for some heart and commitment, or else a severe flogging was on the cards.
The Devon Meadows players responded, staying with the Doves in the second half, led by captain Jesse Dehey, Scott Morrison and 16-year-old debutant Patrick Harmes.
O’Brien was disappointed with the start that set the scene for the end result, but said the character shown late in the game was a plus.
Doveton coach Tom Hallinan was content with his side’s effort and looking forward to the next month.
“It was a really good challenge to back up from the week before (against Narre Warren) which was a huge game,” he said.
“We shared the football and didn’t overuse it too much and that really showed in the second quarter against the wind.
“I’m very pleased with this win.”
NARRE WARREN spearhead Lee Clark ended Saturday with nine goals and a contender for mark of the year during his side’s 98-point victory over BERWICK.
Clark was opposed by league leading full forward George Gorozidis when the Magpies had the assistance of a steady breeze in the first and third quarters, and only managed to snare two of his bag against the 37-year-old sharpshooter.
Gorozidis booted three of Berwick’s 11 goals during his stints in attack, while Clark made the most of his absence at the other end and accumulated seven goals and topped his afternoon off with a typical crowd-pleasing ‘hanger’ in the final term.
The Magpies shot out to a comfortable five-goal lead in the opening term and were never threatened.
Thanks largely to the constant supply of opportunities from Brad Scalzo, Chris Collins, Glenn Hamilton and teenage debutant Nick Cowan, the visitors extended their advantage at each break and won with plenty to spare.
Although the scoreboard was not pretty, Berwick’s players battled the game out and tried hard to stick to a set game plan with Paul Van Schilt, Michael Hanigan and captain David Van Diemen joining Gorozidis among the best.
It took CRANBOURNE three quarters to shake off a determined TOORADIN, before the Eagles cruised away to record a 71-point win at Western Port Oval.
The Seagulls booted its biggest goal tally for the season and it was also the first time in 2008 they have passed the 100-point barrier.
Spurred on by their small but loyal and vocal band of supporters, the home side led by four points at the first change and forced the Cranbourne players to become the chasers.
The Eagles ground their way to a 17-point lead at the main break but, again the Seagulls hung in to stay in touch with the breeze in the third term, before running out of fitness and capitulating in the last quarter.
Tooradin captain Adam Splatt led from the front with a superb game on star Cranbourne forward Marc Holt, who kicked only three goals and was forced into the midfield after half-time, while the form of David Tremowen, Steve Arvanitis, Rod Cochrane and Michael Hobbs was also encouraging.
The big plus for Cranbourne was the fact its 26 goals were shared around with Justin Shields and Matt Foster booting six each.
KEYSBOROUGH all but ended the finals ambitions of BEACONSFIELD with a 51-point win at the Perc Allison oval.
The Burra had 39 scoring shots to the home side’s 23 and only some wayward kicking for goal from the visitors saved the Eagles from a major embarrassment in front of its sponsors on an afternoon that was built up as a final for both clubs.
From the opening bounce on the slippery Beaconsfield surface, Keysborough looked the goods.
They won in the centre thanks largely to the superb ruck work of Shaun Witherden and sure handling of classy on-ballers Shaun Daly and Clinton King.
ROC simply had no answers to PAKENHAM’s class and persistence, despite giving its all at Starling Road.
The Kangaroos went down by 84 points in a predictable result, while ominously the Lions were without three key prime movers in ruckman Jeremy Everett, league best and fairest winner Beau Miller and former Kangaroo Anthony Young, but still dominated the contest.
SORRENTO belted a disappointing PEARCEDALE side by 82 points, ending the Panthers’ push to secure a top three position in Nepean league.
Big-marking interleague spearhead Matthew Burns was best afield with five goals, while the Panthers’ best included Daniel Field and Shane Urbans, while Luke Damon chipped in with three goals.
