Exciting young Cranbourne star Ray George (left) warms up with team mate Matt Thompson before Saturday’s traditional clash with Devon Meadows.By Brad Kingsbury
DEVON Meadows held on to a twopoint margin in the dying minutes of a thrilling match to down traditional rivals Cranbourne and keep its season alive on Saturday.
The Hawks held a twogoal advantage at the 20minute mark of the final term, but the Panthers steadied and booted three goals to clear away, before Cranbourne reduced the margin to two points near the end, but was unable to snatch victory.
The game was played in front of a big crowd at the racecourse oval with Cranbourne celebrating its 1985 and 1995 premiership reunions and past players’ day.
A highlight of the afternoon was the ‘comeback’ of 1995 coach and club legend Andrew Dalgleish to the Hawks side, which was kept secret until the team took the field.
Dalgleish retired at the end of 2003, but trains with the team and has maintained his fitness by acting as club runner.
He was asked by coach and good friend Darren Martello to pull on the boots in an effort to add experience to the young team and acquitted himself well, playing off the interchange bench.
Cranbourne kicked with the wind in the opening term and took a ninepoint lead into the first break, but Devon Meadows turned that into a fourgoal deficit by half time.
Talented Hawk forward Marc Holt dominated the third term and Cranbourne slammed on six goals to one, taking a 14point lead into the final change to the frustration of Panthers coach Craig Hunter.
“In the third quarter we just did what we’re good at and capitulated again. We were lucky to get out of it really,” he said.
The crowd yelled itself hoarse in the last quarter as Devon Meadows grabbed and held the advantage and fell over the line led by Jesse DeHey, Lucas Carroll and best afield Andrew Cotton who took 15 marks at centre halfback for the day.
Holt was brilliant for the Hawks and Robert Moxon, Luke Hawken and Matt Thompson also contributed well.
Hunter was relieved to get away with the win and praised his younger players, who he said had carried the team in recent weeks.
“It was pretty close all day. We didn’t give in and kept at it so that was really pleasing,” he said. “We got the result at the end of the day and we’re still in with a chance (of finals).
“The young blokes have stepped up well since they’ve been in the side and we have to keep them going now.”
DOVETON is up and running and despite losing two key players to injury on the weekend, proved far too good for Tooradin, winning their clash by 87 points.
Doves centre halfforward Ryan Brown left the field 15 minutes into the game with a groin complaint, while key playmaker Justin Hill did not appear after half time with a lower leg injury.
Doves’ coach Steve Henwood reorganised his team successfully, with tough recruit Robbie Hughes taking over the centre halfforward role.
With Tooradin playing manonman football, Doveton quickly found its range and booted 13 goals to two in the first half, putting the result beyond doubt and proving that depth at the Robinson Reserve is superior to previous seasons.
Seagull midfielders, including Beau Miller and Adam Splatt, lifted their team mates after the main break, but Doveton forwards Danny Casset (six goals) and Ryan Hendy (four goals) continued to present danger and the Doves cruised away to another solid victory.
Supertalented Dove David George spent the day sweeping across halfback, a luxury Henwood could not afford in previous seasons and the victorious coach admitted extra versatility had been a bonus.
“We had a couple wounded, but we did play well, particularly early on,” Henwood said.
“I was really happy with the way we went after restructuring the side. We said all year that we had good depth and we need to call on it a bit now.
“I thought it was a danger game and I was happy with the way we started. I think we lost a little bit of interest as the match wore on.”
Tooradin coach Dan O’Loughlin said he was happy with the away his players responded to the Doveton onslaught after half time, but admitted that the Doves were a slick unit and his side had few answers to the visitors’ early dominance.
NARRE Warren goal machine Lee Clark slotted through 10 goals in three quarters, to steer the Magpies to a 129point victory over a disjointed Dingley.
The key forward left the field at the start of the last quarter with a cork and with the result never in doubt, Magpie coach Paul Hamilton decided not to risk further injury by putting him back on in the final term.
Narre Warren bolstered its side with two under18 debutantes in Lucas McFaull and Chris LaRosa, both of whom played well.
Dingley was without experienced players including Steve Vinen, Robbie Lemon, Stephen Pitt and Travis Sawers, with its largely young group of players overwhelmed by the Magpies’ class.
Narre Warren started methodically and built a lead, increasing it at each break and taking the game out with something to spare.
Hamilton said his side was never really extended, but was pleased that it showed the professionalism to do the business and move on towards next week’s challenge.
BEACONSFIELD did what a good side should and issued bottomplaced Keysborough with a 92point reminder that it has a long way to go before achieving success in the league.
The Eagles were without key forward Dean Ziesler and midfielder Daniel Charles and got off to a slow start with the Burra doing its best to shut the game down. At quartertime the difference was only seven points and there was more bad news with wingman Daniel Mislicki, playing his first game since round seven, leaving the field after hurting his knee.
Leigh Clifford tinkered with his side and the Beaconsfield players responded by booting eight goals to two in the second term to take a 45point lead into the rooms at halftime.
After the long break Beaconsfield continued its constant pressure and moved further ahead in both the third and fourth quarters, running out comfortable winners.
Wingman Justin Duffy had a blinder, drifting forward to boot five goals for the Eagles, while Keysborough captain Luke McGuiness finished with three majors for his team.
Duffy was best afield with team mates Chris Kelf and Nathan Tiberi also finding plenty of the ball, while Keysborough was well served by Chris Capsalis, Kane Tucker and Corey Wilkinson.
