Eagles end Narre’s run

Marc Holt roars in excitement after kicking a crucial final term goal. 182157_11 Pictures: ROB CAREW

By Nick Creely

SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE

REVIEW – ROUND 9

“It was a really tough game, in really tough conditions, and it was two good sides simply not giving an inch.”

Cranbourne coach Stephen O’Brien couldn’t have summed up his side’s blockbuster clash against Narre Warren at Kalora Park any better.

It was absorbing football, played with a high degree of skill despite patches of torrential rain, and moments where champions made their mark on every line.

In the end, it was a tale of the Magpies’ wasted opportunities that resulted in their first defeat of 2018 and a clean Eagles side that were extremely efficient in their front half.

The Eagles’ pace worried Matt Shinners and the Magpies early, and with the likes of Brandon Wapshott, Shaun Marusic and Jordan Bertrand razor sharp with their kicking, the visitors surged out to an eight-point quarter time lead after looking ominous on the outside.

In a match-up that was entertaining, fierce but fair, Jesse Davies was given the task of quelling Marc Holt, and did his best to restrict him to just one goal in the opening term.

Despite drawing even in the midfield battle, the Magpies uncharacteristically turned the ball over inside 50, but the importance of Michael Collins, Mitch Cox and Dylan Quirk kept the home side within striking distance.

And with their belief after eight straight wins, the Eagles needed to maintain the rage.

The Magpies certainly had their chances to strike in the second term, but butchered several straight forward chances in front of goal, before Collins produced a moment of magic, snapping a goal from virtually over his head out of nothing to give the home side the lead.

But on the other end, Holt was causing serious headaches, booting the final two goals of the half – one from a snap from a tight angle – to recapture the lead and give the shivering Eagles fans plenty of voice as the rain set in.

Big man Jake Stephens – on debut in the ruck due to the absence of Michael Boland – started the third term brightly by winning some key contest in the middle, and the visitors were playing smarter and cleaner wet weather football, forcing the ball forward then breaking away with searing pace.

Needing an answer to what loomed as a potential onslaught, Collins once again showcased his immense skill, caressing the ball from the arc of 50 with a wet ball straight through the goals.

Marc Holt came off after a heavy bump moments later that eventually saw him sit the rest of the third term on the pine, and it seemed momentum was swinging the way of the home side, with Collins putting his body on the line to tap the ball into the hungry arms of Nick Scanlon, who goaled on the three quarter time siren.

It was anyone’s game, and with 30 minutes of play left, the side who could hold their nerve was to emerge victorious.

They threw everything they had at the Eagles to keep their unbeaten run alive, but Holt stood tall once again to boot a goal that put the margin beyond reach, while a brilliant defensive effort, led superbly by Dillan Bass and Glenn Osborne, managed to hold the dangerous Magpies at bay in a tremendous display.

It was a defensive masterclass by Bass in particular, who was immense with his commitment to the contest, while Stuart Morrish also made a significant impact when the game was on the line.

“The way we held up in the last quarter was outstanding – we’ve had a pretty new leadership group this year, and to see these guys take the ownership and drive the standards on the ground, it was pivotal to the result,” O’Brien said of his leaders.

Jesse Davies could certainly hold his head high in his battle with Holt, but eventually his power and experience took hold in a commanding display that sees him just nine goals away from the 1000-goal mark.

“It was a great contest, he’s a proud man Holty, and he was disappointed in last week, and he was crucial to us,” he said.

“It was the way he got his goals, that’s probably not always acknowledged, he’s not always a stand and mark player.”

Conversion became the key component that decided the eventual nine-point margin, something not lost on O’Brien.

“It sorts of swings in roundabouts – early this year, when we played them, we weren’t able to capitalise the way we liked, and on Saturday, Narre were unable to, in those sorts of conditions it becomes pretty crucial,” he said.

But the midfield battle – led by debutant Jake Stephens – eventually swung the Eagles way after wearing the Magpies down through run and carry by the likes of Ryan Jones and Luke Bee-Hugo, who picked up a stack of the footy.

“We rate ourselves pretty highly in the stoppage area, and it was a bit of a head to head battle in there, and it was pretty even,” O’Brien said.

“At times we were able to move the ball pretty well, and even in those conditions, it wasn’t all just about getting the ball forward as quickly as possible, we needed a bit of composure, and it gave our forwards a pretty good look.

“It was his (Stephens’) first senior game of footy, and that’s eight debutants now for the year – Jakey was nervous coming into the game, but we told him to go out and just compete.

“That’s what he did, and I thought he played a crucial role for us in the end.”

Now sitting just percentage off the top of the table but with an extra game played, O’Brien said the belief is starting to grow.

“We think we’re a pretty good footy side, but Narre are the benchmark, they’re still on top – just to know we can compete with the best is great,” he said.

“It gives us a lot of belief that when we play our best, we can compete with one of the yardstick sides of the competition.”

Narre Warren will almost certainly bounce back when they travel to AJ Robinson Oval to face Doveton under lights on Saturday, while Cranbourne faces a stern test against a Berwick side slowly building back to its best form.

Narre Warren 5.13 (43)

Cranbourne 7.10 (52)