By David Nagel
Beaconsfield has fallen agonisingly short of inflicting just the second loss of the season for Park Orchards in an entertaining Eastern Division One clash at Park Orchards on Saturday.
The Eagles went toe-to-toe with the ladder leaders; who eventually secured a 6.12(48) to 6.11(47) victory to remain three games clear at the top.
Coming off a week’s break, the Eagles finally welcomed back skipper Jake Bowd; playing his first game after seven weeks on the sidelines, while Josh Mounter returned from VFL duties and Darren Minchington also took to the field after a two-game hiatus.
Bowd, playing off half back, had the first kick of the match; but Park Orchards had the better of the opening exchanges.
The Sharks created seven scoring shots to three, but only had a goal from skipper Michael Prosenak to show for their forward entries.
Star performer Brandon White had plenty of the ball in the first quarter for the Eagles and a major reason why the deficit stood at just nine points at the first break.
The Eagles then upped the ante at the start of the second quarter; through some great play and also a touch of fortune.
Tylah Stokoe set up Devon Smith for a set-shot goal at the start of the second term, and then played a hand in the next from Jafar Ocaa.
Stokoe, just 15 metres out from the big sticks, tried to slot a goal with a mid-air kick, only to mistime his connection and send it travelling in the wrong direction.
Fortunately, Ocaa was there to take a chest mark and then kick truly to give the Eagles the lead.
Sam Merrick then launched into a 35-metre kick off the ground, which fell in the arms of Myles Currie, who also drilled a set shot.
The Eagles deserved their lucky breaks, with Ethan Harris, Mitch Szybkowski, Kade De La Rue and Smith causing the dangerous Sharks some headaches through the midfield.
Prosenak then answered for the home side, before Mounter capped off the best play from either team in the first half.
Bowd marked in the back pocket, then kicked to Casey Wassylko who marked strongly on the half back flank.
Wassylko then found Minchington on the lead, who gave quick hands to Harris, who was consistently busy on the wing.
Harris then hit-up Mounter, inside forward 50, with his set-shot giving the Eagles an 11-point advantage at the major interval.
Park Orchards kicked two goals to none in the third quarter, courtesy of Kane Keppel and Evan Smeed, to tie things up at 4.9.33 at the final break.
The intensity lifted at the beginning of the final term, with both teams missing two chances to open up a handy lead.
Connor Hickey marked twice, but pushed his kicks wide, while Hayden Brough and Michael Cameron had difficult chances for the Eagles.
Park Orchards then kicked the first goal of the last quarter through key-tall Tom Livingstone, who received a ‘tiggy-touchwood’ free-kick when not many were paid on the day.
Just two minutes later, at the 19-minute mark, De La Rue showed a touch of class, breaking free from a forward-50 stoppage and calmly converting off his right foot to tie things up once again.
Park Orchards then took the lead by a point, before Hickey finally found his range to kick the margin out to seven.
Merrick then slotted a terrific goal on the run, cutting the margin back to a point with just seconds left on the clock.
Beaconsfield needed a clean take-away from the resultant centre clearance; but the Sharks neutralised possession to bank their 14th win for the season.
The Eagles met in the centre of the ground for a post-game debrief, no doubt encouraged by a fantastic contest against the runaway league leaders.
The Eagles had six individual goal-kickers on the day, while Charlie Muley and Wassylko joined the aforementioned midfield brigade on the visitor’s best players list.
Mick Fogarty’s men are almost certain of playing finals footy, currently two games and a healthy percentage clear of sixth-placed Mooroolbark with just three games remaining in the season.
They can make it mathematically impossible to slip out of finals calculations when they host ninth-placed Doncaster at Holm Park Reserve this Saturday.
EASTERN DIVISION ONE
PARK ORCHARDS 1.6 2.6 4.9 6.12(48)
BEACONSFIELD 0.3 4.5 4.9 6.11(47)
Park Orchards Goals: Michael Prosenak 2, Connor Hickey, Kane Keppel, Tom Livingstone, Evan Smeed. Best: Liam Webb, McLaren Spiteri, Matt Haythorne, Mason Blakey, Jaye Witnish, Alex Magnano.
Beaconsfield Goals: Myles Currie, Kade De La Rue, Sam Merrick, Joshua Mounter, Jafar Ocaa Devon Smith. Best: Devon Smith, Brandon White, Ethan Harris, Mitch Szybkowski, Charlie Muley, Casey Wassylko.
Other Games R15: Mitcham 10.10(70) v Doncaster 5.6(36), Montrose 7.14(56) v Bayswater 2.4(16), Mooroolbark 4.5(29) v South Belgrave 14.8(92), Wantirna South 6.8(44) v North Ringwood 10.4(64).
Ladder: Park Orchards 56, Mitcham, South Belgrave 44, Montrose, Beaconsfield 36, Mooroolbark 28, North Ringwood, Bayswater 20, Doncaster 12, Wantirna South 4.
Fixture R16: Bayswater (8) v Park Orchards (1), Beaconsfield (5) v Doncaster (9), Montrose (4) v Mooroolbark (6), North Ringwood (7) v Mitcham (2), South Belgrave (3) v Wantirna South (10).
