"A real kick in the Guts" from 'The Outer Eye'
We hosted in-form Noble Park at Mullum on Saturday in a game where we really needed to win in order to keep realistic finals chances alive. After a close first half, a very poor third quarter in which Noble booted 7 goals to 2 proved the fatal difference, a late fightback in the last quarter not enough for us to win, eventually succumbing by 15 points.
On a beautiful winter's Saturday, a very good crowd was in attendance at Norwood to see two form teams go up against one another in a 6th v 5th clash, and it was on for young and old right from the start. We opened immediately with a goal off the ground to Leroy, and generally had the better of the play for the first 15 minutes. Leroy added a 2nd goal, but then Noble took over, dominating field position. if not for poor conversion we could have been trailling by more. As it was, we took a narrow 8 point lead to the first change 3.3 - 1.5. The 2nd quarter also opened brightly for us, as we kicked 3 goals to just one from Noble in the first 20 minutes. We could have been further ahead. However, approaching 1/2 time and leading by nearly 4 goals, a late lapse changed the momentum of the game, Noble adding the last 3 goals to trail by just 5 points at half time.
The 3rd quarter was an unmitigated disaster. From the very outset Noble goalled, and we spent the entire quarter trying to get our hands on the footy. Repeatedly smashed at clerances, Noble added 7 majors to our 2, taking a 5 goal lead into the last change. It was going to take a herculean effort for us to get back into this one. For 10 minutes in the last quarter the game was a stalemate, but then came a spark. Perhaps sensing the game was over, perhaps fading from the persistent effort around the stoppages, Noble began to look a bit tired and we began to get our hands on the footy. We surged forward and goals came. With 23 minutes gone in the last quarter, somehow we trailed by only 8 points. Alas, a disputed mark on the goal line to the Noble ruckman Faik settled the issue as he went back and calmly hooked one through, the chance to steal what we probably didnt deserve was gone.
Final score Noble Park 13.15.93 d Norwood 12.6.78
From limited opportunities Leroy with 5 goals was probably our best player. Hilly in defence was his usual self and Fingers battled against the odds in the middle. The loss is a hard one to take, but the bitterness is more caused by our terribly slow start to the season than this - an "honorable loss", for what its worth. While mathematically still a chance, any time you hear the term "mathematically" it generally means the season is over. The best news for the day was the development squad snatching a win in the dying moments with 2 goals in the last 3 minutes. Matt McCormack was the hero with a deft little snap over his left shoulder from a tight angle with seconds left. The Colts went down by a few goals.
Last Modified on 19/07/2016 08:48