Lions topple to tough ’Pies

By Brad Kingsbury
PAKENHAM and Narre Warren players knew they had been in a game of football after Saturday’s 17point loss by the Lions at the Fox Road reserve.
The Magpies were boosted by the return of rugged foursome Lee and Ricky Clark, Luke Hughes and Glenn Hamilton and rebounded from last week’s shock loss to Tooradin with a typically hardatit fourquarter performance.
Pakenham was also strengthened by the unexpected appearance of gun midfielder Lincoln Withers, although that was countered by an early gameending injury to Lions’ captain Seb Paynter.
Pakenham led by two points at the first change, thanks to inaccuracy from the Narre Warren forwards, but did not look to have the players to counter the more physically mature Magpies’ edge in experience and strength.
The second term saw nearly all the play in the home team’s forward half with Lion backmen, including Justin Sutherland, Craig Dyker and Trent Fairclough, defending grimly.
Narre Warren rebounded out of defence well and, excluding Withers, coach Michael Holland and Trent Fairclough, Pakenham players were pushed off the ball in a hardhitting term that ended with the Magpies 31 points up.
“The second quarter was the one that cost us the game,” Holland said afterwards.
“I was pleased the way we finished off, but the gap was too big.”
After some stern words from Holland at the halftime break, the Lions regrouped and took it up to their opponents.
Justin Sutherland kept Magpie spearhead Lee Clark in check while Craig Dyker and youngster Cory Lenders provided forward drive.
Despite the effort Narre Warren led by 33 points at threequarter time and booted five behinds in a row in the final term before running out of stamina as the Lions lifted.
Pakenham booted four unanswered goals before Clark slotted through a late one to steady the home team and see it gain the points.
Holland lamented the early lapse and said the result might have been different had the game lasted a little longer.
“I reckon with another 10 minutes we would have overrun them. We were coming home well,” he said.
“Our tackling and pressure started to improve in the third quarter and in the last quarter a few of our kids like John Atwell and Daniel Fry stood up so that was pleasing.
“We’ve improved, but they’re a good side and that’s why they’re third on the ladder. After halftime we took it to them and that was good.”
Holland’s Narre Warren counterpart, Paul Hamilton said the hitout tested his players, but would have done them good.
“After we lost Ryan Stanes early in the game, it stopped us using our rotations and we knew that guys like Ricky Clark and Glen Hamilton would run out of puff,” he said.
“It was a hardhitting game and they certainly knew about it afterwards.
“We’ve taken it slowly bringing these boys back and it’s been the right thing to do.”