Dove power stuns Pies

By Brad Kingsbury
YOUTH and enthusiasm was not enough to drive a new-look Narre Warren to victory against Doveton in front of a big home crowd at Fox Road on Saturday.
The Doves showed the benefit of a solid pre-season fitness campaign, together with an emphasis on full-game consistency, to boot four late goals after the Magpies hit the lead at the 10-minute mark of the final term, running out winners by 24 points.
The Narre Warren faithful had flocked to the game to watch the unfurling of last year’s premiership pennant prior to the game, but the Doves, under interim coach Mark Mott, spoiled the party and signalled that they were a genuine contender in 2009.
Importantly for the Doves, they responded positively when put under pressure and captain Clint Wilson said that was pleasing, given the focus placed on discipline over summer.
“We didn’t lose the plot. It’s an area we identified and we really worked on over summer,” he said.
“It’s been a mental thing when we’re put under pressure and we know it. I was always rapped to be playing Narre Warren first up. We knew they would be a huge test and we would know where we were at afterwards. Not one player was out of line and that made the win even better.”
The first half was scrappy, typical of a round-one home-and-away game, with both sides continually butchering the ball and turning it over.
The young Magpies, led by Chris Collins, Joel Broadhurst, Andrew Field and Matt Werner, showed superior speed to the Doveton playmakers.
However after talls Aaron Mills and Cameron Bell were forced from the field with knee injuries in the opening term, the Doves took full advantage and expanded a five-point quarter-time advantage to 27 points at the long break.
Star recruit Russell Gabriel showed his class in the air and gave on-ballers Daniel Charles, Corrie Wilson and Michael Henry first use of the football throughout the first two quarters and a comfortable Doveton win threatened as the sides lined up to start the third quarter.
However, the culture at Narre Warren is now one of winning and the Magpies came at the Doves again in a much higher standard second half.
The Magpies ignited their followers with a five-goal to two third term, with veteran spearhead Brett Evans leading and marking strongly, to trail by only seven points at the final change.
Doveton supporters feared the worst when their side suddenly trailed by a point midway through the final quarter.
However, the pressure applied by the experienced Doveton defenders Ricky Hayes and Nathan Wilson, caused important turnovers and the cooler, more polished visitors proved too strong with Ryan Hendy sealing the game with two late goals.
The Doves came through the game unscathed and Wilson said there were many positives from the victory.
“Narre had a real crack after half-time and ran the ball well. They’re a good side,” he said.
“We responded and there were some good signs with our fitness. We’ve got a lot better structure with Russell and Charlesy in the side and I was very happy with young Adam Dean in attack.”
Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners said there was a lot of improvement in his young players, but lamented costly mistakes at crucial times.
“I was happy with the way we came back in the third quarter and early in the last quarter, but there were patches when we were pretty ordinary and that’s a consistency issue,” he said.
“We turned the ball over with bad decisions in our forward 50 in the last quarter and you can’t give a quality side like Doveton half an opportunity because they will always take it.
“I don’t think we deserved to win really.”
Lee Boyle did a good job on Gabriel in defence, while Clay Peresso and Michael Collins also battled hard throughout the afternoon.
Shinners added that Bell’s injury looked dire and he may miss the rest of the season if a knee reconstruction is required, while Mills is still hampered by a pre-season cartilage problem and is a week-to-week proposition.