Narre Warren skipper Glenn Hamilton attempts to spoil ROC’s Daniel Johnson, above, before the pair tangle at ground level, right, on Saturday.By Brad Kingsbury
NARRE Warren moved to third place on the ladder, and a share of the double chance, after holding off a hard-charging ROC in the final term to record a nine-point victory at the boggy Starling Road oval on Saturday.
The Magpies flew out of the blocks and shocked the Kangaroos with a six-goal-to-one first term that all but decided the outcome.
Young forward Dylan Piening was on target and worked hard to keep the ball in attack, while his Narre Warren team-mates, including captain Glenn Hamilton, Jarrod Anderson, Michael Collins and youngster Justin Marriott, applied extraordinary pressure to emphasise the break.
ROC steadied in the second quarter and moved to within two goals of its opponents early in the third quarter, but the Magpies took advantage of some costly errors and took a match-winning 37-point lead into the three-quarter-time break.
Narre Warren went forward in the final term, but could not score and ROC rebounded well through Greg and Ben Tivendale, Ash Comer and the long-kicking Andrew Logan, but it was a case of too little, too late and the Magpies consolidated their position with another victory.
Piening finished with a return of five goals for the visitors, while the battle between Collins and Greg Tivendale became a game within a game with both players earning a mention among their side’s best.
Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners said that ROC had been tough to shake off and his side’s good start turned out to be very important.
“Our first two quarters were good and we really set it up in the first quarter. It was tough conditions, but I was pleased with our commitment to the ball,” he said.
“We might have started to wait for ROC to make mistakes a little bit after half time, but to ROC’s credit they turned it around.
“Across the board I thought we were fairly even and that was a good sign.”
His Kangaroo counterpart Kris Fletcher, who missed the game with a rib injury, agreed that the game was decided early in the afternoon.
“We’re just playing three quarters of football too often,” he said.
“The first quarter was the difference. There were a few undisciplined things that cost us in the third quarter – just dumb things, but we can’t afford those mistakes.
“I think we’re improving, but it’s taking time and it was always going to.”
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Doves embarrass Eagles
BEACONSFIELD confirmed to all Casey Cardinia League followers that finals football is a long way off after being monstered by a slick and professional Doveton side at the Robinson Reserve.
The game was played in slippery conditions and it was quite physical early, but the Doves were too slick in defence in the first half and rebounded ruthlessly every time the Eagles looked to mount an attack.
Beaconsfield’s only real forward target in Andrew Williams was blanketed by Callum Pattie, while young Dove Adam Dean (four goals) was creative at the opposite end with the Eagles main defender Kane Airdrie busy trying to stop Danny Casset having an influence on the contest.
While Doveton ran the ball forward through midfielders Michael Henry, Russell Gabriel and Justin Hill, together with Daryl Thomas and Brad Downe off half-back, the Eagles relied on coach Robbie Taylor and captain Daniel Mislicki for their drive.
Apart from big-hearted ruckman Chris Kelf, the Eagles had few other players willing to apply the pressure required against a top side.
Beaconsfield did not score its first goal until halfway through the third quarter and was kept to a paltry two goals for the game in one of its worst performances for the season.
Taylor lamented the effort afterwards.
“I thought we competed pretty hard, but we just played dumb footy and when we got sucked in to the contest they got it out and we were left standing there watching,” he said.
“It was pretty disappointing overall. We’re clearly not up to the better sides at the moment.”
Doveton assistant coach Clint Wilson, who returned successfully from a hand injury, said that his side’s consistency was the key. “I thought they’d be a lot better than they were, but we did play a good four-quarter game and we never let them in it,” he said.
“We were just too strong all over the ground.”
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Seagulls bounce back
TOORADIN turned a 25-goal loss the previous weekend into a 21-point victory over winless cellar-dwellers Keysborough at the Western Port Oval on the weekend.
The return of star centreman Beau Miller from injury assisted the Seagulls, but it was a general change in attitude that saw the form reversal achieved, according to coach Cristian O’Brien.
“We sat down and had a chat and decided as a group that last week’s performance (against Pakenham) was simply not acceptable. The players resolved to do something about that,” he said.
“I was pleased with the way the boys took ownership of their football this week and that was the difference in the end.
“We’ve still got several games that we believe we can win during the rest of the year, especially as players return from injury.”
Keysborough was competitive throughout the game, but players who were as good as unbeatable last year, including Matthew Freeman, Tyson King, Anthony Brannan, Leigh Williams and Daniel Born, have come back to the pack and are struggling to have an influence over four quarters this season.
More experienced players including Will Gayfer, Shaun Witherden and Luke McGuinness are still playing good football but, as a side, the Burra has not gelled this season and are still waiting to sing their song.
As for the Seagulls, the performance was a much better one and O’Brien said that the first half, which saw Tooradin boot seven goals to two, was very important in the context of the victory.
Miller was dominant in the midfield, while Paul Ray, Jack Fulton and Rory Gilliatte were also among the better performers on the day.
However, on the downside was a hamstring injury to assistant coach Chad Liddell that could see him miss a couple of weeks.
