By DAVID NAGEL
Casey Cardinia Football League review – round 15
MISERABLE… it’s a word that sums up the Cranbourne Football Club’s week after it was given a football lesson to the tune of 28 points by Beaconsfield at Casey Fields No2 on Saturday.
Off-field turbulence resulted in premiership coach Doug Koop being told he is not required for season 2014, and it translated into a shaky performance from Cranbourne who slip from the top-two for the first time in four glorious seasons.
Throw in an ever expanding injury list and a form line that now reads three wins from its last six outings and it becomes quite clear that Koop and his side really do have their backs against the wall in the run home to September.
Enough about Cranbourne, however… the real get-your-hands-dirty footy story to take from this match is Beaconsfield’s emergence as a real threat for this year’s grand final.
Beacy kicked with the aid of a strong breeze in the first term, blowing towards the social club end of number two, and it dominated play, slamming home five unanswered goals, and keeping Cranbourne scoreless, to take a 35-point lead to the first break.
Cranbourne held on early but a running goal to Troy McDermott opened the floodgates and was followed by a long-bomb from Jesse Linkins, a clever snap from Nathan Hamilton, and another crumbing goal from Cleyton Bertoncello to make it four-zip.
Scott Meyer was drifting forward after competing at centre bounces and his mark and goal, the first from a set shot for the quarter, gave Beacy a healthy quarter-time lead.
“Boys we need to turn this quarter into a shit-fight,” Beacy coach Clint Evans told his players at quarter time.
“I don’t care if it’s a nil all draw, stoppage after stoppage we need to concentrate.
“Our pressure and intensity needs to be better than theirs but if you get the opportunity, back yourself and run.”
Beacy carried his instructions out to the letter, its ball movement clearly superior to Cranbourne who looked slow and lethargic.
Cranbourne did have the breeze and went forward at times, bombing ineffectively to Marc Holt, who had Daniel Battaglin for company and Kane Airdrie being a nuisance, playing as a loose floater in defence.
A great tackle and goal from Jack Coutts cut Beacy’s margin to 27 points at half-time but, when the heavens opened early in the second-half, it became a bridge too far for Cranbourne.
Beaconsfield’s performance was a real team effort but still the influence of Daniel Mislicki, Meyer, the Johnston brothers, Damien and Daniel, and Ben McGowan and Mark McManus down back was clear for all to see.
Cranbourne was hit hard by injuries with Justin Shields, Leigh Holt and Max Gearon all going down early but was clearly beaten by a better side on the day.
Matt Fletcher tried his best to bring Cranbourne back into the game while Brandon and Glenn Osborne and Matt Rus were plugging holes all day to try and stem the tide.
Evans was understandably delighted with his team’s performance.
“That’s probably the best pressure and intensity that we’ve brought to the table all year,” he said.
“It was a real team performance and we played smart footy, the ability to win the footy, then handball out and run was a strength of ours all day.”
A spectacular mark by Cranbourne’s Michael Theodoridis, who climbed high after hitting a pack at speed on centre wing, was breathtaking to watch.
It was about the only highlight on a miserable day, in a miserable week for the club.
