By JARROD POTTER
TAC CUP – ROUND 15 REVIEW
DIGGING deep against the wind, Dandenong held on bravely against the surge of Sandringham to take a 19-point triumph.
With a sea change to Frankston’s VFL Oval – playing as a curtain raiser before Frankston’s clash against Geelong – the Stingrays sailed strongly with the breeze but struggled against it as the Dragons held on and made a battle of the round 15 clash.
Battling the buoyant ocean gales sweeping up the Frankston foreshore, Dandenong seized its chances in the first and third terms to kick away from the dogged Dragons.
A 38-point margin at the final term – built on the back of forward forays from Shannon Gladman (four goals) and Jake Lovett (three goals) – was likely enough to hold on, but Dandenong did itself no favours in the last quarter.
Inefficient chip-kicking, delicate handballs and blatant free-kicks against plagued the Stingrays efforts as Sandringham could have made it a closer finish with better accuracy. But the Dragons two-goals-seven would not get them close to Dandenong’s tally as a scoreless last term didn’t stop the Stingrays taking the 11.9 (75) to 7.14 (56) triumph.
Dandenong coach Craig Black praised his side’s efforts fighting headlong into the worst winds throughout the year and Sunday was no exception.
“We’ve done that a couple of games – kicked into the breeze in the final quarter – did that when we went up to Queensland in hot conditions were able to run the game out.
“If you look over the year we’ve probably conceded a few more points in the last quarter, but often we’ve been kicking into the wind and been able to win three or four games like that.”
It took the leadership group to stand tall and fight back against the Dragons streaming forward. Captain Lachlan Williams flew the flag once again – in only his second game back from appendix surgery – while half-footballer/half-tape hybrid Lachie Batten was truly exceptional.
Batten dominated the last term as he flew back with the barrage of incoming forward entries – spoiling many attempts and rebounding the rest as his precision passion stood out down the stretch.
“He showed great leadership – he’s our vice-captain and we think the world of him – think he’s fantastic player and that’s why,” Black said about Batten. “He just stood up and showed his skills through that last term.”
Dandenong has built a one-game buffer on third ranked Murray and one more win will guarantee the Stingrays a double-chance for the TAC Cup finals.
The Stingrays return to Shepley Oval on Saturday to battle the Oakleigh Chargers from 11am.
TAC CUP
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 5.0 6.1 11.9 11.9 (75)
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 1.1 4.6 5.7 7.14 (56)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS Goals: S. Gladman 4, J. Lovett 3, J. Di Pasquale, J. Holden, M. Cox, L. Williams. Best: D. Capiron, B. Rice, J. Lovett, L. Williams, T. Young, S. Gladman. SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS Goals: K. Lopo 2, T. Wilkinson 2, J. Briggs 2, J. Matera. Best: L. Hiscock, A. McGRATH, T. Wilkinson, J. Briggs, G. Lok, A. Sakeson.
