By Brad Kingsbury
Beaconsfield supporter Russell Vincent was on the spot with his camera as hometown hero Luke McConnell flew and marked brilliantly just before the final siren with his side trailing by one point. A tough kick from the boundary was willed through but missed, registering a behind and tying the game to the disappointment of the Eagle goalsneak.
BEACONSFIELD goalsneak Luke McConnell missed a goal to win the game against Cranbourne after the final siren on Saturday, with the match ending in a thrilling draw.
The clash of the two sides that both play under the Eagles banner was a dour, lowscoring affair at the Perc Allison Reserve that saw the home side chasing Cranbourne that maintained a slender lead after quarter time.
Cranbourne led by 11 points at the final change and booted away to what looked like a matchwinning break of three goals early in the last quarter, before Beaconsfield ground its way back to within a kick with 10 minutes to go.
Both playing groups worked through their fatigue to lift with the game in the balance and the result came down to the final act of the day.
McConnell, who finished the day with two of his team’s nine goals, took a spectacular mark just over 20 metres out from goal near the boundary line as the siren sounded to end the game with his team one point down.
Cranbourne players did everything they could to put McConnell off and the ball wobbled through for a behind leaving the scores tied and both sides bewildered.
While there were not many goals scored, the afternoon was highlighted by many topnotch individual efforts led by Cranbourne teenager Matthew Rus, who shut down the experienced Dean Ziesler, together with Robert Moxon who matched up on Chris Kelf in the ruck.
Cranbourne coach Brett McMaster, who missed the game with injury (as did his Beaconsfield counterpart Haydn Robins), said the game was a missed opportunity, but the effort underlined his young team’s improvement.
“It was good to play that well against good opposition, but we should have won really,” he said.
“They jumped out early, but we pegged them back and from quartertime we were in front all day and I thought we played some really good footy.
“I think that’s as good as we’ve played considering the conditions and our tackling was the most pleasing part of it. The boys really stepped up and their onballers were not allowed to run as much. That’s what killed us the first time (the teams met).
“I don’t think we’re that far off it now and the improvement has been good.”
It was Beaconsfield’s second draw for the season and left it two points behind fifthplaced ROC.
The home side was well served by star midfielders Kris Fletcher and Robbie Taylor who has been named among the best players an amazing 13 times so far this season.
