By Nick Creely
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
REVIEW – ROUND 7
After three straight wins, Cranbourne have breathed life into a season that was quickly getting away from them.
This win, a gritty display against ROC in a vitally important game, sees the Eagles displace the Roos in fifth spot.
After early season losses to strong sides Narre Warren, Beaconsfield, Tooradin-Dalmore and Doveton, the Eagles were hanging on by a thread despite showing positive signs.
The Eagles got the fast start at Starling Road, with Tahlia Coates and Tegan Stahl causing headaches for the Kangaroo defence as their side skipped to a 6-13 lead at quarter time.
The Kangaroos needed to respond, and they did, closing the avenues to goal and finding their groove in their attacking arc, shredding the margin to just four after a 12-9 second quarter.
In a tough second half, the likes of Steph Ryan, Tara Cecil and the combination of Stahl and Coates helped lift the visitors to their best win of the season, 38-47.
Down at AJ Robinson Oval, Beaconsfield continued on with its electric form by staving off Doveton in a tough clash, 42-48.
With the VNL Sunday Round over the weekend, Beaconsfield were hampered by the loss of some of their stars, and got a first look at young stars such as Jordan Lang, Mackenzie Little and Emily Kerr, who were all brought in to face the music.
Despite some shaky moments, the trio were mightily impressive, providing plenty of energy and speed around the court for the Eagles.
Usual suspects in Danni Cameron and Abbie Sheers were impenetrable in defence, allowing the goalers to have an impact down the court, and helped set up a massive win that sees them keep their hold of second spot.
Tooradin-Dalmore, as per usual, finished the round with yet another four points, maintaining their unbeaten start to the year with a routine win over Pakenham, 37-48.
The Seagulls simply did what they needed to do away from home, while the Lions showed some admirable fight in what has been a more improved first seven rounds this season.
Without star Alex Maher in the side, the Seagulls were helped by a terrific game by Alex Duff and a rock solid defensive unit, showcasing the impressive depth within the squad.
In the final game of the round, Narre Warren was dominant against Berwick, winning 61-36 at Kalora Park.
The Magpies are just percentage from second on the ladder, while the Wickers remain winless in what’s been a disappointing season to date.
Looking ahead and there is just one game on this weekend, with the Queen’s Birthday split round.
Cranbourne – who is in some terrific form – will come up against the tough Doveton at Casey Fields, in what looms as an important blockbuster for both teams.
The winner is likely to end the round in fourth spot, with just a game and a small amount of percentage separating them.
On their home deck, and with all the momentum behind them, the Eagles will certainly fancy their chances of taking a major scalp and announcing themselves as a contender.
