Cranbourne’s Jarrod Murphy traps Magpie Jarrod Anderson during the clubs’ clash at Fox Road on Saturday. 31580 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Brad Kingsbury
CRANBOURNE signalled its arrival as a genuine top-three contender with a disciplined 24-point win over Narre Warren at Fox Road on Saturday.
The influence of coach Doug Koop was never so evident as when the game was there to be won at three-quarter time.
And it was his players who listened and carried out his instructions to the letter in the final 25 minutes of play, never letting the young Magpies back into the contest.
After trailing by 25 points at the first change, Narre Warren snapped into action and peppered the goals throughout the second quarter, but butchered the ball inside the forward 50, kicking 6.9 to 2.3 for the term.
Youngsters Ben Wragg, Chris Potalej, Justin Marriott and Guy Miller started to run the ball into attack and, although the Magpies only led by five points at half-time, the signs were ominous for Cranbourne.
However there was no panic in the Eagles’ camp. Coach Doug Koop stuck with his solid and accountable game plan and his players did the rest.
They answered every push that the home side made in the third quarter and ground their way on top to kick away to a 14-point three-quarter time lead on the back of team-lifting efforts from playmakers Stuart Morrish, Curtis Barker and Matt Fletcher.
At the final change, with the result still in the balance, Koop asked his players to be accountable for their opponent, apply pressure at every contest and to control the tempo of the game with every possession.
Narre Warren coach Matthew Shinners had little choice but to send his players out with instructions to attack.
However, the die had been cast and the Eagles superior maturity and discipline saw them dominate the contested ball and rebound every Magpie attack through the steadiness of defenders Troy Datson, Callum Lester and exciting teenage wingman Ryan Jones.
Despite Holt getting the goalkicking yips in the final term, the work rate of his teammates meant that the ball was in attack more often than not and all the Magpies could do in the end was admire the single-minded focus of their opposition and take heed.
BEACONSFIELD held on to grab a last-gasp two-point victory over a determined and unlucky DEVON MEADOWS in a tough and entertaining game at Glover Reserve.
The siren sounded with the ball sailing into the Panthers forward line after Damien Hinkley missed a set shot to give the home side the lead only 30 seconds before – and that told the story of the day.
Devon Meadows fought gallantly only to fail at the final hurdle, while Beaconsfield hung in and weathered significant physical pressure to win a game that was described later by both coaches as akin to a final.
Jesses Dehey, Guy Chisnall and youngster Brandon Wapshott were creative for the Panthers, while Eagles coach Robbie Taylor led from the front, along with ruckman Chris Kelf and Andrew Williams, who was a constant source of danger in attack.
The Eagles retained a three-point advantage at the first two breaks despite the Panthers having much more of the play in the second term.
Taylor released Lachlan Oakley, who had been well covered by Craig Hunter, on to the ball after the long break in an attempt to spark his side, but the dour Devon Meadows’ defence held sway and kept the visitors goalless to lead by four points at the final change.
After inspiring addresses the final term saw the two sides swap goals and the lead on several occasions before Williams slotted his fourth for the game and gave his side a three-point advantage with little time left on the clock.
TOORADIN was no match for DOVETON at the Robinson Reserve, capitulating badly after half-time and going down by 104 points. The Doves started well and kicked away to a four-goal quarter-time lead, but the new-look Seagulls reacted and lifted their intensity to draw level halfway through the second term. The momentum swung the visitors’ way and they had their tails up when play was halted after Tooradin defender Chris Barker crashed to the deck with a broken ankle after a marking contest with Dove spearhead Danny Casset. Barker was stretchered from the field and Doves assistant coach Clint Wilson said that was the catalyst for his side’s revival.
The Doves banged on four goals before the half-time break and then came out and put on an awesome display of power and dominance in the second half.
Ryan Hendy went forward and did as he pleased, finishing with eight goals, while Russell Gabriel took control of the air and fed the ball to playmakers, led by Justin Hill, Aaron Henwood, Michael Henry and Daryl Thomas.
On the downside for the Doves, Wilson broke his hand after getting it caught in a tackle during the third quarter and will likely miss several weeks.
PAKENHAM methodically dismantled the winless HAMPTON PARK by 64 points and the margin could have been greater given the Lions had 38 shots at goal for an inaccurate return of 17.21.
The result was never in doubt after the first 20 minutes when the visitors peppered the goals after dominating at the fall of the ball.
Lions’ defenders Nathan Brown and Tom O’Loughlin rebounded well all day, but had to remain vigilant with Redback forwards Matthew Shorey (four goals) and Kevin McLean (two) making the most of their limited opportunities.
ROC effectively crushed what little hope KEYSBOROUGH had of making this season’s finals in a barnstorming 12-goal final-term blitz at Starling Road. The Kangaroos rampaged to a 51-point victory in the inaugural Ian McLean Cup game, after trailing the visitors at the final change and sounded a warning to their Casey Cardinia League rivals that they can no longer be classed as the league’s easy-beats.
Kangaroo spearhead Callum White finished with nine goals.
RUGGED midfielder Jack Besley booted seven goals in a brilliant game for PEARCEDALE to help his side to a 43-point victory over RED HILL in Nepean League.
Leigh Bidey and Tim Urbans were among the Panthers best in a high-class affair at the Hillmen’s home ground.
