By David Nagel
Beaconsfield is still in prime position to play in its first finals series in Eastern Division One despite a 31-point loss to a classy Montrose outfit on Saturday.
The Eagles need to win one of their last two – against North Ringwood (fourth) and Lilydale (last) – to qualify for the crunch time of the season.
And Mick Fogarty’s boys showed their best football is good enough to match it with the best, going toe-to-toe with the third-placed Demons in the early stages of the contest.
Fogarty was missing co-captain Damien Johnston and the energetic Michael Misso for the clash, but welcomed back prime-mover Sam Merrick and dangerous forward Hayden Brough.
And it took Brough all of 60 seconds to make an impact after three weeks sitting on the sidelines.
His clever right-foot snap would trigger an early avalanche of goals, with six kicked in the opening nine minutes of play.
Bailey White kicked the second, after proving too strong for Beaconsfield’s defence, before the Eagles kicked three in four minutes to take early control of proceedings.
Devon Smith mongrelled one through from close range, before co-skipper Jake Bowd provided the first-quarter highlight.
Bowd and Josh Mounter hit a marking contest hard, then wrong-footed their Demons defenders, with Mounter handballing to Bowd who kicked a quality goal on the run.
When Jafar Ocaa then converted a bullet pass from Kye Rowland, the Eagles were up and about…18 points up after seven minutes of play.
The Demons then answered, with Darcy Laurie finding too much space, with two quick ones to seven-goal hero Ryan Garthwaite tying things up late in the opening stanza.
A late-goal to Bowd gave the Eagles a seven-point lead at quarter time.
Montrose got the first of the second quarter, but when Brough snapped cleverly on his left, and Harrison Coe converted a strong mark inside 50…the Eagles had kicked to a double-digit lead and were playing the better footy.
Montrose then lifted a gear, kicking six of the last seven goals of the second term in the defining period of the match.
The Eagles fought gallantly…but could never bridge that 22-point half-time deficit.
Brough made a sparkling return for the Eagles, finishing the day with four, while Bowd and Ocaa were dangerous with three and two goals respectively.
Trent Stokoe continued his impressive form in defence, being voted in the top-three players for the fifth time in his last eight outings.
Darren Minchington showed clean hands around the stoppages, while Smith, Mounter and tall utility Ben Schultze were others to hold their heads high.
Garthwaite was superb for the Demons with seven goals…proving the main difference between the two sides.
Beaconsfield can lock away a finals berth with a win over fourth-placed North Ringwood at Holm Park Reserve this Saturday…and avoid a nervous last-round battle against the winless Lilydale.
MONTROSE 4.2 11.7 13.9 17.10(112)
BEACONSFIELD 5.3 8.3 10.6 12.9(81)
Montrose Goals: R. Garthwaite 7, B. White 2, M. Schwab 2, D. Frith, D. Laurie, D. Chamberlin, T. Galbraith, S. Rickard, G. Nagle. Best: R. Garthwaite, B. Dessent, G. Lord, C. Rossetti, J. Garthwaite, B. Watson.
Beaconsfield Goals: H. Brough 4, J. Bowd 3, J. Ocaa 2, E. Harris, H. Coe, D. Smith. Best:
T. Stokoe, D. Minchington, D. Smith, J. Bowd, J. Mounter, B. Schultze.
Other Results R16: Bayswater 10.9.69 def by North Ringwood 12.11.83, Lilydale 11.9.75 def by Wantirna South 18.17.125, Mitcham 17.14.116 def Croydon 9.6.60, Mooroolbark 6.7.43 def by South Belgrave 9.16.70.
Ladder: South Belgrave 64, Mitcham 48, Montrose 46, North Ringwood 34, Beaconsfield 32, Wantirna South 28, Mooroolbark 24, Bayswater 24, Croydon 20, Lilydale 0.
Fixture R17: Beaconsfield (5) v North Ringwood (4), South Belgrave (1) v Lilydale (10), Wantirna South (6) v Bayswater (8), Croydon (9) v Montrose (3), Mitcham (2) v Mooroolbark (7).
