Beaconsfield flipped the script.
After succumbing to a heartbreaking one-point loss to Park Orchards off the back of a fourth-quarter fadeout last weekend, the Eagles got up by the same margin in a come-from-behind win on Saturday against North Ringwood.
The 11.6(72) to 10.11(71) result is a necessary win for Beaconsfield, which dropped its last two games, weakening its grip on third position in the Eastern Football Netball League Division 1 competition.
Trailing by 16 points midway through the last quarter, after conceding three of the first four goals of the term, Beaconsfield stormed home by kicking the last three goals of the game.
Poetically, after falling behind at the 21-minute-mark last Saturday in its last-gasp loss, that was precisely the time Hayden Brough scored his fourth major to give the visitors a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
“The guys have got a really strong belief,” coach Mick Fogarty said.
“The trends of the game change.
“When the opposition have their way, the most important thing is to restrict their ability to put scoreboard pressure on.
“That’s something we’re working really hard to do.
“Over the last couple of weeks, teams have had an 8-10 minute period where they’ve been able to do that.
“What was pleasing was they put scoreboard pressure on in the last quarter but we were able to counteract that by having some really good forward entries.“
Brough was a significant contributor to the comeback, coming to life in the last term and seizing his moments, with three of his four majors coming after the last break.
“Hayden has enormous ability and we know he can turn a game like that – he has shown it in the past,” Fogarty said.
“It’s good reward for him playing a hard role as an opportunist forward.
“We know he’s such a beautiful kick and for a small guy he has a terrific aerial game as well and he finished his work off and gave the team an opportunity to win.”
The Eagles have a bye this weekend before facing ladder-leaders South Belgrave.
EASTERN DIVISION 1
NORTH RINGWOOD 4.1 4.3 7.8 10.11(71)
BEACONSFIELD 3.1 6.3 7.4 11.16(72)
Results R10: North Ringwood 10.11(71) v Beaconsfield 10.12(72), Bayswater 4.3(27) v Montrose 10.14(74), Norwood 8.1(49) v Mooroolbark 11.9(75), Park Orchards 12.8(80) v South Belgrave 23.18(156).
Ladder: South Belgrave 36, Park Orchards 28, Beaconsfield 24, Boronia 20, Montrose 16, North Ringwood 16, Mooroolbark 12, Bayswater 8, Norwood 0
Fixture R11: Boronia (4) v Bayswater (9), Park Orchards (2) v Montrose (5), Mooroolbark (8) v North Ringwood (7), South Belgrave (1) v Norwood (10). Bye: Beaconsfield (3).
