Narre Warren’s Daniel Borninkhof stretches for a loose ball under pressure from Cranbourne forward Marc Holt at Casey Fields on Saturday. 34265 Picture: Donna OatesBy Brad Kingsbury
Casey Cardinia League review – round 15
CRANBOURNE held firm on Saturday to defeat reigning premiers NARRE WARREN for the second time this season, securing a finals berth for the first time in a decade.
The thrilling 10-point win was achieved without key playmakers in Callum Lester, Curtis Barker and big man Adam Wright, while veteran Magpie forward Brett Evans also missed the game with a back complaint.
Narre Warren opened the game kicking with a fluky breeze and attacked the ball hard, but Cranbourne switched on and immediately made an impact booting five goals to two and setting up a 21-point lead at the first change.
The run created out of the midfield by Eagles, including Brad Coller, Luke Martin and Ray George, caused the Magpie hierarchy some early headaches, as did the mobility of super-improved big man Stuart Morrish around the ground.
The second term was error-ridden, but star Magpie Michael Collins managed to shake off the Rick Harmes tag enough to combine with captain Glenn Hamilton and drive their side forward and create scoring opportunities.
However inaccuracy at goal plagued the visitors and two late majors saw Cranbourne retain its quarter-time margin and have the Magpies on the back foot.
Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners altered his stagnating line-up at half-time and the move of Steven Kidd onto Cranbourne spearhead Marc Holt and the subsequent release of creative defender Colin McNamara up the ground had an immediate impact.
That combined with the report and subsequent send-off of Robert Beadel in his 150th game, gave the Magpies some momentum and saw them reduce the deficit to only two points at the final change.
The momentum looked to have shifted, but the Cranbourne players responded and refused to give up the lead in the first 10 minutes of a desperate and, at times dour, last quarter.
The margin went out to seven points with a Troy Tharle-Adams major, was reduced to one point by Collins a minute later and extended again after clever Cranbourne forward Matt Fletcher slotted through his fifth goal of the afternoon with 15 minutes to play.
Again a battle of bodies ensued until the match-breaking goal was steered through by teenage Eagle Mitch Gersbeck from 40 metres at the 23-minute mark of the quarter, extending the home side’s advantage to two goals and ending the Magpies’ challenge.
BERWICK made light of the forced omission of its two key forwards, Jason Heath and Grant Noonan, to completely dominate a sub-standard HAMPTON PARK by 57 points at the Edwin Flack Reserve.
Talented utility Brad Miles returned to his best form after dislocating a shoulder earlier in the season, booting four goals from stints at full-forward and on a half-forward flank.
The Wickers started well, keeping the Redbacks goalless in the opening term and leading by 22 points at the first change.
It was all downhill for Hampton Park after that with Berwick controlling the midfield and Adam Mott, Andrew Tuck and Nathan Page creating the run and scoring opportunities to extend the lead to 58 points at half-time.
The second half was a matter of the Wickers going through the motions and maintaining the intensity, although the visitors did lift their efforts with Brendan Fredericks, coach Josh Taylor and defender Sheldon Fredericks leading by example.
Berwick big men David Van Diemen, Brett and Dale Robinson have hit good form at the right time of year and were among the best players, while 10 players contributed to the Wickers’ 18 goals in another positive.
The report of DOVETON runner and former coach Stuart Batten was the only lowlight of the Doves’ emphatic 79-point win over TOORADIN at the Western Port oval.
Tooradin kicked the first goal of the game, its only major for the first term, and was nine points up before the Doves clicked into gear.
That happened after the incident that saw Batten ejected from the contest for alleged abuse and then it was bye-bye Seagulls as the Doves booted eight unanswered goals to lead by 49 points at half-time and effectively have the game shot to pieces.
That was extended with ease to the final margin in the second half and Tooradin officials were left shaking their heads at the ease with which their opponents were able to score without injured full-forward Danny Casset.
Everything worked nicely for the Doves with Ricky Hayes dominating in defence and Aaron Henwood tagging Beau Miller who played on a wing for much of the day.
KEYSBOROUGH emphasised its late-season form surge to crush DEVON MEADOWS by 48 points and claw its way off the bottom of the Casey Cardinia League ladder for the first time this season.
Despite the absence of leading forward Tyson King, the Burra looked too good from the first bounce on Saturday.
Devon Meadows coach Steve O’Brien was forced to rearrange his side after the retirement of Scott Morrison and suspension of Aaron Henneman and gave strong marking big man Andrew Cotton and goalsneak Ash Adams the job of leading the attack.
That looked likely to pay off after both goaled early in the game, but the Burra defence, led by Will Gayfer and Leigh Williams, worked their way on top and it soon became evident that the Panthers’ tendency to lack potency would again be an issue.
Keysborough led by 15 points at the first break, but that edge was reduced to only 10 points at half-time after a hard-fought second term.
However after a seven-goal-to-five third quarter into the breeze, the home side finished the game strongly and cruised home to its third win in its last three outings.
In the final game PAKENHAM handed out a 110-point crunching to neighbours ROC at Starling Road.
Big Daniel Fry booted eight goals in a superb effort at full-forward, while match winner Luke Walker is nearing top form as the finals approach.
PEARCEDALE coach Jason Chapple made a comeback to the field in Nepean League on Saturday, booting two goals in his side’s 84-point belting of lowly ROSEBUD.
The former interleague rover was named among the Panthers best, along with former VFL star Chris O’Dell and veteran playmaker Shane Urbans.
