The one that almost got away

The story of the day. Beaconsfield skipper Daniel Mislicki denies Narre Warren speedster, Jackson Parker, one inch of space during the Eagles’ epic one-point victory over the Magpies on Saturday. 126834 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By DAVID NAGEL

CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
REVIEW – SECOND SEMI FINAL

A HOLLYWOOD scriptwriter could not have dreamt this one up!
Beaconsfield held off a mighty giant, and some remarkable after-the-siren drama, to book a place in this year’s title decider with a gripping one-point victory over Narre Warren in Saturday’s second semi-final at Pakenham.
Beaconsfield’s direct passage to the grand final was put on hold, as goal umpires conferred with scoreboard attendants to see if Hayden Stagg’s goal – with the last kick of the match – had in fact drawn the Magpies level as the scoreboard suggested.
Initially the Magpies went up as winners, before the scores were corrected and the final act of an amazing day of football was complete.
The wash up is, the mistake may have robbed the Eagles of the unbridled joy that only a final siren can bring, but it didn’t take the limelight away from a magnificent performance, based on pressure, tackling, commitment, concentration, and an unwavering discipline for four quarters that ultimately sealed victory.
This was an arm wrestle in its purest form, neither side kicking more than a goal clear until late in the third, when majors to Tyson Mitchem, after a great tackle on Stagg, then a running goal to Josh Dodsworth, put the Eagles 15 points clear at the final break.
The Eagles had the chance to bury the Magpies at the start of the last quarter, but nerves set in for Taylor Joyce, twice, and Ben Kerrigan, before Kerem Baskaya kicked truly to cut the margin to two goals at the 10-minute mark of the term.
Joyce responded, 15 minutes in, only to be answered by a Matt Lee bomb at the 18-minute mark and we were back to a two-goal cushion. Eagles’ runner Ben McGowan then kicked a crucial point, which would be the centre of attention after the final siren, that wasn’t registered on the scoreboard as play went on.
Nick Scanlon kicked truly, before a magnificent Stagg mark was converted under immense pressure, the siren sounded, and confusion reigned supreme.
“I thought we were a point up, but I wasn’t 100 per cent sure so I had to wait like everyone else,” an exhausted Beaconsfield coach Clint Evans said after the match.
“It was tense, the last five minutes felt like five hours, our effort was good but Narre being Narre, we knew they’d keep coming and they nearly pinched it in the end.”
The achievement of reaching football’s biggest day was still miles away from sinking in.
“No it hasn’t, when we look back at those first two games (defeated by 88 and 98 points) we’ve come a long way since then,” Evans said.
“The thing I love about it is that it’s player driven, we’re not the most skilled side but we’ve got there on pride, and win lose or draw today I think we proved we can match it with them for four quarters. The cards fell our way and I just couldn’t be prouder.”
The Eagles leaders were magnificent; Norm Walker Medal winner Scott Meyer was the best big man on the ground, while Daniel Mislicki, Ben Kerrigan, Mitchem and Kris Fletcher not once took a backward step. Fletcher’s three goals, and Mitchem’s two, were important to the end result but their ability to burrow in and show their younger team mates the way, really did set the standard for the afternoon.
Damien Johnston was all class and hardness for the full four quarters, while Nick McPherson’s lock-down role on Jackson Parker, Thomas Jok and Brandon White’s ability to thrive on the big stage, and a defence, led superbly by Daniel Battaglin, Daniel Johnston and Jayden Gee were also critical to success.
The Magpies don’t feature heavily in this review – and for good reason – because apart from their defence, led by Ben King, Jake Richardson and Ryan Morrison, a couple of midfield warriors in Michael Collins and Dylan Quirk, the dangerous Kerem Baskaya up forward, and the last gasp heroics of Stagg… there was very little to write home about.
Chris Toner has his concerns, with a knee injury to Kain Baskaya the biggest, while a lack of intent and a general look of flatness all over the ground something that will also be weighing on his mind.
Oh yeah, and a mighty opponent called Cranbourne is lurking just around the corner.

Beaconsfield 11.9 (75)
Narre Warren 11.8 (74)