Right: Keysborough’s Michael Davis is spoiled by Pakenham veteran Travis Murphy in a marking contest on the weekend. Picture: Meagan Rogers.By Brad Kingsbury
PAKENHAM snatched second position on the ladder and sounded a warning to top team Narre Warren with a relentless 42point away win over Keysborough on Saturday.
It was the first time the Lions had seen the tight Keysborough ground, but that did not seem to phase them as the youthladen side slammed on five goals without the Burra entering its attacking 50metre arc in the opening 10 minutes. With Simon Ponter and Troy Willis creating forward targets for the Lions’ playmakers including Jared Goldsack, coach Michael Holland and exciting youngster John Atwell, the visitors took a 25point lead into the first break and were not headed.
Keysborough regrouped and matched their opponents in the second quarter, but suffered a blow with key forward Stuart Nagle leaving the ground before halftime.
Pakenham held a 23point advantage at the main break and looked to be in full control. The Lions upped the intensity further in the third quarter with Daniel Fry breaking free at centre halfforward and both sides going on the attack.
Pakenham looked set for a commanding win with a 46point threequarter time lead, but the Burra underlined its improvement by holding its own and outscoring its talented opponent in the final term.
Goldsack was brilliant all day and earned best afield honours, while Ponter and Fry booted four goals apiece for the victors.
Burra fullforward Luke McGuinness made the most of his opportunities with seven goals and the classy Michael Davis chipped in with five to be his team’s best.
Apart from Nagle, Keysborough had sore players in Davis, Warrick Hanks and Adam Williams after the game, but coach Paul Jefferies was upbeat saying it was part of the learning process for his developing side.
“We have to remain positive. We’re not a Narre or a Doveton or a Pakenham, so we have to keep working hard and try to win another three or four games,” he said.
“We’re kicking good scores when we’re losing, so that was a positive, but we’re rebuilding and there are gaps that we have to keep working on. We played three under 18s and I’ve told the club that I’m going to persevere with the kids for the rest of the year. They’re the future of the club.”
Holland was impressed with Keysborough’s improvement, but played his own cards, saying there was still plenty to work on.
“We started well and that was pleasing. They came back a bit, but in the third quarter we opened them up a little bit,” he said.
“We had some lapses again which was disappointing. The Keysborough ground is hard to play. We’ve got a lot of sixfooters in attack and it was hard to fit them all in, but they’re not a bad side and they’ll worry a few before the year’s out, especially there.”
