Gippsland Power’s Jeffery Ryan chases down a loose ball.GIPPSLAND Power took a giant step towards a positive finish to the 2006 TAC Cup, season downing the inform Calder Cannons by 27points at the weekend.
After a slow start to the season, the Cannons had regrouped and become one of the best teams in the competition in third spot on the ladder.
The Power had been inconsistent, but on its day had shown that it had what it takes to have a significant influence at the end of the year.
The Power had the first on the board from the opening bounce through Brent Macaffer.
It kept the pressure on and Ben Ross capitalised well before Ben Hughes found Lachlan Hansen who had drifted down from the backline and the warning sirens were sounding for the Cannons.
However, they steadied and goaled and the Power then lost its bearings and began to squander many good opportunities with poor finishing.
Macaffer stopped the rot with a clever goal and the Power went into the first change 20 points up that should have been at least six goals, based on its dominance.
The Cannons responded with the first two of the term and suddenly the Power’s wasted opportunities were coming back to haunt them.
Rob Michaelides set up Ross to give the Power breathing space, but instead of going on with it, were on the back foot again as the Cannons capitalised on some costly turnovers to reduce the margin to three points at the long break.
The Cannons started the third quarter with two on the board and had the Power struggling to get its game going.
Ross replied for the Power to stem the ‘flood’, but the Cannons answered immediately to restore their lead.
The Power began to use the ball better and Macaffer was on the end of two positive passages that resulted in majors.
Inspired, Ash Payne created another with some disciplined play and the pendulum had swung back in the Power’s favour. The Cannons were not done and punished some shoddy defence to regain the lead late in the term.
The Power persisted and, with better teamwork, set up Macaffer and then Ross to be nine points up with a quarter to go.
In terms of the 2006 season, the final stanza was pivotal for both sides and was tight in the opening minutes of the term.
Kane Martin broke the deadlock with a strong mark and the pressure was on the Cannons to respond and they hit back hard with two goals.
Some typically strong work by Tristram Francis allowed Michaelides to give the Power breathing space before a dashing run by James Blaser off the wing put the Power in the driving seat.
The Cannons lifted again, but this was their last gasp as the Power lifted its work rate to take control of the game.
Michaelides created some magic to snap another and then sealed the game with a running goal.
Hardworking forward Ben Hughes kicked another and the Power had weathered the storm.
Scores: Gippsland Power 17.12.114 d Calder Cannons 13.9.87.
Goals Power: Brent Macaffer 5, Ben Ross 4, Rob Michaelides 3, Lachlan Hansen, Ash Payne, James Blaser, Kane Martin, Ben Hughes 1.
Best Power: James Balser, Tyson Goldsack, Brent Macaffer, Ricky Delphine, Michael Todd, Rob Michaelides, Ben Hughes.
The Power has a bye this week and then plays Western Jets at Williamstown.
