By Chris Yeend - Midlands Express
Macedon made its mark on the competition with a thrilling two-point victory of Riddell at home on Saturday. Tony Clarke Reserve was bathed in sunshine as the Cats fought out their third-straight heart-stopping clash in as many weeks against the highly fancied Riddell outfit on their home turf.
DE JA VU
In a strange coincidence, the Cats won the clash by two points. The previous year's fixtured match between the two teams in round two at Tony Clarke Reserve also saw the Cats prevail by two points. That clash saw the game finish prematurely due to the unfortunate incident which saw Riddell onballer Matt Sammut break his leg. Given that the game ended after the minimum two quarters, the Cats were awarded the win after leading by two points. Many felt at the time that the Bombers had the momentum and would have gone on to win the clash. Fast-track a year later and the Cats held on after leading for most of the day.
BIG INCLUSIONS
The Bombers welcomed back Peter Robertson, Jarryd Silvester and Brayden Allen into the team from injury while Macedon captain James Wright and backman Ross Moloney were additions alongside debutante Jake Keating.
TELLING MATCH UPS
Brayden Allen had the job of shutting down rising forward Kris Preston of Macedon while Ross Moloney had the job on Mick Allen. Both match-ups would prove to be important as the game unfolded.
BIG START
The Cats stormed out of the blocks in the first five minutes, dominating the centre clearances and clearing the ball well from half-back. However, it was Riddell that was able to score the first goal of the game through experienced forward Mick Allen when he out-muscled Moloney for a typically strong mark. His goal at the two-minute mark put the Bombers five points up. Preston won a free kick in the right forward pocket and kicked truly for Macedon to put them up by a point at the five-minute mark. Tim Dettmann broke the lines beautifully to kick a great goal on the run just two minutes later to put the margin out to seven points before Ben Sonogan kicked truly from 30 metres out on the run just moments later in a real see-sawing affair. This would prove to be his last strong act of play as he courageously ran back with the flight of the ball and collided with a teammate 45 metres out from goal in a marking contest. Sonogan came off second best and hobbled from the ground. Chad Walker's goal on the run gave the Cats a six point lead at the first change.
HARD PRESSURE
The game was going to be anything but a shootout. The second term saw both sides trade goals in a real arm-wrestle. Brayden Allen had the better of the dual with Preston to stop his dominance up forward for the Cats while Mick Allen was held by Moloney and Strickland in the opposing 50. Walker became an unlikely hero on the goal front when he goaled at the four-minute mark to give the home side a little breathing space of 11 points. Daniel Sahlberg, who won plenty of the ball across half-back over the course of the game, found himself on the receiving end of a free kick and he goaled on a tight angle 30 metres out in the left forward pocket minutes later. Jack Mills sparked to life off the bench for Macedon as he kicked two goals in five minutes, that were split from a Cam Casson goal for Riddell. When Riddell's Matt Darby kicked his first at the 22-minute mark, the margin was back to five points for the fifth time for the half. A late goal from Darren Goodwin thanks to a mark and 50-metre penalty gave the Cats the momentum heading into half-time. They led by 13 points in their best first-half performance. They were down to 21 fit men when backman Jon Nadin went down with concussion in time-on of the term.
BOMBERS BOUNCE BACK
After a quiet first half, Brian Ruffell began to win more of the ball across half-forward for Riddell. Bombers scored the opening goal of the half at the five-minute mark to close the gap after the Cats had a few narrow misses. Riddell's Brayden Allen switched from full back on Preston to the ruck while Glen Robertson switched to Preston in possibly a match-determining move. Preston goaled from a rare one-on-one marking contest to extent the lead back to 15 points. It would be the last goal for Macedon for a quarter. Josh Clough and Shaun Neeson were remarkable through the middle while the likes of Casson, Sahlberg and Peter Robertson knocked up getting plenty of the ball for the Bombers. Matt Darby proved a hero up forward for the visitors as he kicked a goal on the run at the 16-minute mark and fellow youngster Darcy Beddgood did likewise minutes later to bring the margin back to four points at three-quarter-time.
BIG FINALE
Coach Matt Power demanded his players to by ruthless and put the previous three quarters behind them. He wanted efficient disposal use from his onballers and more belief. It worked to a treat as Darby clung with vice-like grip to take a telling mark just five minutes into the term to put the Bombers up for the first time since the seven-minute mark of the first term. Mick Allen goaled from a holding the ball decision just minutes later and Riddell was up by seven points in a barnstorming finish. James Wright kicked a team-lifting captain's goal from 45 metres out on the run to close the margin back to a point 10 metres in.
BIG FREE KICK
After a rushed behind at the 13-minute mark, the Riddell player overstepped the square at the resulting kick out. The ball-up that followed saw Riddell hit the ball through for a point, on the full. A free kick was awarded as a result to Preston who goaled to put the Cats up by six points. It wasn't over yet! Brayden Allen goaled on the run and Darby marked and kicked his fifth at the 17-minute mark. Preston won a free kick three minutes later and kicked truly for his fourth to level the scores 77-apiece. A rushed behind a minute later and a Preston point was enough as the Cats locked the ball into their forward line. The siren sounded just moments later as the home side celebrated a two-point win, its biggest of the year.
RADIO
Tune into 100.7 Highlands FM this Friday from 6.30pm for the Football Netball Show. The action continues on the air despite the Queen's Birthday bye weekend.
Last Modified on 05/06/2012 09:58