By JARROD POTTER
VFL WOMEN’S – ROUND 4
ONE half down, one half to go.
The signs are tantalising for Cranbourne Women’s Football Club as it produced it’s best half of football yet this season to send shudders down the spine of the VFL Women’s elite sides.
The promoted Eagles gave last year’s grand finalists Diamond Creek an almighty scare, as they charged ahead in the second term to bank a 18-point lead at the main break.
Kirsten McLeod (two goals) and Bianca Jakobsson had ripped holes in the Creekers’ defence, leaving the Eagles with a great confidence booster heading into the second half.
Cranbourne’s goal-kicking proved costly though, as two-goals-seven through the second term could’ve swung the match in their favour … especially with what the Creekers brought back out of the rooms.
It went pear-shaped after the main break though as Cranbourne struggled and only kicked two more behinds through the third and fourth as it couldn’t stitch together another strong showing down the straight.
Diamond Creek had the experienced legs necessary to run out the clash and avoid the embarrassing loss, ending up 46 points ahead by the final siren.
Cranbourne coach Kris Smith lamented the second quarter blues as the Eagles’ goalkicking cost them dearly.
“Two seven in the second quarter and we legitimately kicked two seven,” Smith said. “I can’t blame these girls – it’s not their fault – but if we kicked seven-goals-two and scoreboard pressure was a little bit different, who knows what the second half could’ve been.”
But the match, especially the first half, really impressed Smith, who believes his side is improving dramatically through it’s first month of VFL football.
“It was like I was coaching a different group this week,” Smith said. “I don’t know what it was, but we turned a bit of a corner and realised we can match it with these guys.
“We got a bit of confidence out of the Melbourne Uni game – although they did us on the scoreboard, anyone who was at that game would say that wasn’t how that game was played.
“I think they realised that day we can match it with them if we come out switched on from the start and put in a four-quarter effort.
“If we had been accurate in front of goals and converted our shots it could’ve been a different story at three-quarter-time.”
Eighth placed Cranbourne can now breathe a big sigh of relief as it gets a bit of a reprieve from battling the top brass.
The better times are near starting with it’s VWFL Division 1 grand final rematch against Knox at Casey Fields from 2pm on Sunday.
VFL WOMEN’S
DIAMOND CREEK 0.1 1.2 5.9 10.14(74)
CRANBOURNE 1.1 3.8 3.10 3.10(28)
DIAMOND CREEK Goals: J. Cameron 3, A. Barden 2, C. Bernardi 2, S. Chiocci, L. Williams, B. Richmond. Best: K. Smith, K. Hicks, D. Haines, L. Brazzale, A. Barden, S. Chiocci.
CRANBOURNE Goals: K. McLeod 2, B. Jakobsson. Best Players: K. McLeod, B. Jakobsson, S. Binder, B. Moody, D. Hardiman, A. Fennell.
