Pakenham veteran Simon Ponter is wrapped up by Devon Meadows’ Jesse Dehey at Glover Reserve on Saturday. Picture courtesy Scott MemeryBy Brad Kingsbury
DOVETON avoided what would have been the biggest upset of the season with a three-point victory over long-time rivals Hampton Park at the Robinson Reserve on Saturday.
The win meant that the O’Brien-Batten Cup remained in the Doveton trophy cabinet until their next meeting.
Both sides were hit hard by injury with Michael Henry, Danny Casset and Callum Pattie among those missing from the Doves and keys Kevin McLean, Matt Shorey, Linden Fredericks and Dean Jameison out of the Redbacks’ line-up.
The Doves kicked with a strong wind and piled on 4.5 to nothing in the opening term, prompting some supporters to predict a major blowout.
Someone forgot to tell the youth-laden Redbacks however, and that’s not how the afternoon panned out.
On the back of teenage debutantes Matt McInroy-Howard and Roi Manaog, the visitors applied pressure and turned the game into a scrap.
Regular reserves player Jamie Rondinella stepped up, along with Nathan Dawes, Ryan Simpson and another youngster in Brady White, and the Redbacks stormed home with 5.7 to 1.3 in the last quarter, to just miss taking a huge scalp.
Redbacks’ coach Josh Taylor was proud of his young players and said the future was building nicely.
“We were a bit stiff because we were storming home,” he said.
“A few of our players have been carrying injuries and needed to rest, so we just made the decision to leave them out and play kids. They almost produced a win out of nowhere.
“We threw everything at them and I was pretty proud of the way we played with the side we had. It sets us up a bit with a few more options for the rest of the year.”
The Doves also relied on its under-18 talent, including Cory Phillips and another Hendy in 17-year-old Travis, cousin of Ryan, in the weekend line-up.
Among the home side’s best players were Daryl Thomas, Daniel Zarjac, Russell Gabriel and captain Justin Hill.
Scrappy win by Lions
PAKENHAM coach Michael Holland said he was just happy to come away with the four points and no injuries after a torrid game against Devon Meadows at the Glover Reserve.
The Lions hung on to win by 15 points, despite being outscored against a strong breeze in the final term.
“It was always going to be tough down there and we were just happy to come away with a win,” he said.
“We didn’t finish off the game that well, but it was one of those days that you had to just battle it out and do what you had to, to win.”
Devon Meadows started well, but the Lions played brilliantly against the breeze and led by one point at the first break.
They turned that into 29 points at half-time and, despite an improved effort from the Panthers, held a healthy 19-point advantage at the final break.
The home side was down to one fit interchange player in the last quarter, but dug deep in front of their home crowd. Devon Meadows came home really hard against the wind in the final term and coach Steve O’Brien said he didn’t know whether to be happy or sad with his side’s typical back-to-the-wall fight.
“It was a case of mixed emotions. I was disappointed with losing, but extremely proud of the way the boys stuck at it against a top side,” he said.
“We seem to attack the big games really well.
“I wasn’t too happy with our first half, but our second was really good. We just couldn’t bridge that early gap.”
Captain Jesse Dehey was inspirational in the midfield for the Panthers, while Guy Chisnall and Daniel Rigg were also in great nick.
Pakenham spearhead Daniel Fry was well held and Panthers centre half-back Andrew Cotton produced his best game for the year to shade a series of opponents including Jake Matthews, Simon Ponter and Adam Cook.
On the plus side for the victors was the performance of captain Jared Goldsack, Anthony Young and ruckman Jeremy Everett.
Magpies pluck Seagulls
IN a remarkably high-scoring game, despite inclement and breezy conditions at Fox Road, Narre Warren defeated Tooradin by 65 points to gain a vital percentage boost in the quest for third place on the ladder.
The Magpies kicked against the wind in the first term and Tooradin moved the ball well with Rory Gilliatte, Beau Miller and ruckman Steve Arvanitis maintaining pressure to see them out to a 21-point lead at the first change.
However the Magpies made short work of that in the second term and reversed the situation, taking a 17-point lead into half-time.
Steady defender Jarrod Anderson created drive, while youngsters Jackson Parker, Ben Wragg, Mark Lee and Joel Broadhurst worked hard to wrest the advantage.
The game became a dog-fight in the third term with the desperate home side keeping the Seagulls in check.
Tooradin tried valiantly, but when dominant Magpie midfield star Michael Collins moved forward and booted four goals in the final term, the floodgates opened and the 13-point three-quarter time lead became a 10-goal plus hiding that did not do the visitors’ effort justice on the scoreboard.
A highlight for the Seagulls was a six-goal haul to former AFL player Chad Liddell, while Narre Warren shared its 21 majors around 13 players. Winning coach Matt Shinners was very happy with his side’s overall effort against an improved opponent.
“We let them get a few goals early, but we came home well and really lifted when we had to,” he said.
“After half-time we got our structures right and played some pretty good footy.
“Tooradin was good. They were hard at it and the boys certainly knew they were in a game afterwards. We haven’t got the big-bodied players that we’ve had in the last few years, but I’m pleased with the way we are standing up to the pressure.”
