Under18 TAC Cup

DANDENONG Southern Stingrays confirmed a place in the top two on the TAC Cup ladder with a sluggish but comfortable 35point win over the Bendigo Pioneers in Bendigo in round 16 last Saturday. With two rounds to go the Stingrays were eight points above third spot with a healthy percentage margin.
The Stingrays made seven changes as privateschool players became available but were still not at full strength, Greg Bentley, Shane Wright, Alex Lee, Jason Ferraro and Aaron Murray all being injured.
The game did not attain great standard and the Pioneers played accountable, counterattacking football. The Stingrays struggled for cohesion in the midfield and missed many opportunities to score.
At the 15minute mark of the first term the Stingrays were trailing by a point after kicking six straight points to the Pioneers’ 1.1. Three late goals by Daniel Nicholls, Ben Crowe and Ian Zwar had the Stingrays on top by 17 points at the first change.
The second term was the most productive for the Stingrays, who kicked four goals to two to take a 28point lead at halftime. Players not used to playing highintensity football struggled with the pace of the contest. Nathan Jones was the only inclusion to have a fourquarter impact on the game, as he racked up more than 30 possessions in the midfield and changing in defence.
The second half brought more of the same. The Stingrays did enough to win but coach Graeme Yeats was frustrated at some of the efforts of his players with the variation between slick, highintensity, effective football interspersed with sloppy and unaccountable play and poor skills on a regular basis. Adam Kirkwood played well in the back line beside fellow regular backman Sam Gill as they dominated in the key defensive posts. Ryan Cook played down back for the first time this year and was also effective and Matt Stanley continued his late form. Daniel Nicholls had a good game with more than 20 possessions, nine tackles and four goals in a welcome return to form.
The injured five should be ready this week when top spot on the ladder will be decided when the Stingrays host Gippsland Power at Shepley Oval, Dandenong on Saturday at 2pm.
Scores: Stingrays 12.11.83 d Pioneers 7.6.48.
Goals: Daniel Nicholls 4, Ben Crowe 3, Brad Horaczko 2, Curtis Barker, David Comben, Ian Zwar 1.
Best: Adam Kirkwood, Nathan Jones, Matt Stanley, Sam Gill, Daniel Nicholls, Ryan Cook.