Drawn-out Battle of Creek

By Brad Kingsbury
BERWICK could not shake off a determined BEACONSFIELD in the traditional ‘Battle of the Creek’ on Saturday, with the clash ending in an exciting draw.
Eagle teenager Jake Rose hit the post with a snap from the boundary line to tie the scores as the final siren blared and exhausted players from both sides dropped to their knees after an intense game.
Berwick booted with that breeze in the opening term, but did not use it to great advantage and only led by 10 points at the first change.
However the visitors lifted their effort in the second quarter against the flow and booted five goals to three, to take a 20-point lead and significant momentum into the half-time break.
The Wickers dual-pronged attack of Grant Noonan and Jason Heath broke away from their Eagle markers Daniel Calteri and Kane Airdrie and created a dangerous combination.
At the other end, star Beaconsfield forward Andrew Williams had a battle on his hands with Wickers ‘blanket’ Sean Calamatta.
The third term saw Beaconsfield up its work rate significantly against the breeze.
Players like Justin Duffy, Daniel Mislicki, Josh Dodsworth and Damien Szwaja were good and got better as the match progressed.
Berwick swung Heath back as a spare man in defence and he swept across the defensive line brilliantly, however the Eagles started to come.
Two superb snapped goals to youngster Aaron Gwozdziewski, together with one each to Mislicki and Williams, saw the margin reduced to one point at the 16-minute mark of the quarter.
The scores were levelled by Beaconsfield, but a rushed behind to Berwick looked set to deliver the ultimate disappointment before teenage Eagle Jake Rose received a handball from Taylor deep in the forward pocket and snapped at goal.
In what seemed like slow motion the ball spun towards the big opening, but collected the post on its way as the final siren sounded seconds later.
Players were spent, as were all that witnessed the tense finale, however games between Beaconsfield and Berwick have a habit of becoming epics and this one was no different.
THE clash between NARRE WARREN and HAMPTON PARK was one of the most uneven matches contested in the 2009 Casey Cardinia League season this year.
While there have been bigger margins in games, there has not been a more comprehensive beating handed to a side than the 101-point thumpfest extended to the hapless Redbacks at Fox Road.
The Magpies took control after winning the toss and kicking with a five-goal breeze.
There was little system to Hampton Park’s game from the start and the ball was continually pounded forward by running playmakers including Lee Boyle, Chris Potalej, Glenn Hamilton and Cole Harvey.
Youngsters Dylan Piening and Ben Wragg, together with veteran Steven Kidd, enjoyed the pickings, while it was only the efforts of Redback defenders Ryan Simpson, Scott Eastwood and coach Josh Taylor that kept the margin from becoming even greater.
The Magpies extended their lead at each break and Hampton Park only managed two goals for the game in a poor return. DOVETON was happy to come away from Glover Reserve with four points and no casualties after downing DEVON MEADOWS by 20 points.
The Doves, who were without star spearhead Danny Casset and rover Michael Henry, lost the toss and were challenged by the determined Panthers who kicked with a strong breeze in the opening term and shot out to a five-goal lead at the first change.
Ash Adams and Aaron Henneman created problems for the visitors in attack and it was ‘game on’ as the undefeated top side was put under pressure out of the midfield.
However, like good sides do, Doveton responded in the second quarter and piled on seven goals to one with Adam Dean and Justin Hill making the most of their opportunities in attack and Ricky Hayes a rock across half-back.
The Doves led by eight points at half-time, but it was their effort in the scrappy and dour third quarter that won the game.
Hill and Russell Gabriel were positioned behind the ball and, despite the Devon Meadows midfielders getting on top led by Jesse Dehey, Callum O’Hare and Guy Chisnall, the Doves restricted the home side to only two goals and a three-quarter time lead of only seven points with the wind.
The Doveton runners took over in the final term and Ryan Hendy, Shannon Henwood and his cousin Aaron took control to see their team home.
Finals football is on the agenda for CRANBOURNE this season, but whether the Eagles are just making up the numbers or not is the question posed by observers of their 23-point result over TOORADIN at Casey Fields.
As in all games on the weekend, the wind played a part in the day’s football, but Seagull followers were nervous that the match could become a blowout at half-time, with Cranbourne leading by 25 points and kicking with the strong wind in the third term.
Obviously the Tooradin players did not share that worry.
Coach Cristian O’Brien swung Adam Splatt back as a loose player in defence and the Seagulls, led valiantly by Paul Ray, Clint Setford, Steve Arvanitis and Beau Miller, settled down to the task, keeping the home side to only six behinds for the term.
The lead proved enough in the end with Troy Aust, Daniel Watson, Ray George and Matt Rus among the day’s best players.
Bottom-placed KEYSBOROUGH found its best form to defeat a lethargic PAKENHAM by 12 points in the upset of the season at the Toomuc Reserve.
Keysborough forwards led by Luke McGuinness (four goals) and Andrew Ferguson (three) took advantage of a hard-running midfield to be the difference in the stunning result.
PEARCEDALE applied the pressure after half-time against a depleted HASTINGS to draw away and all but seal their position in the Nepean League top five with a 40-point win.
Star forward Kerem Baskaya booted eight goals in the victory with the Blues unable to compete in attack, due to the absence of coach Tyson Lane and spearhead Steve Raspin.
However in a downside for the Panthers, Baskaya was reported for striking and was offered a two-match ban after the game.