SANDRINGHAM has ended their season on a high with a gallant 15-point victory against Frankston at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
The Zebras led by as much as 44 points in the third term, but the defiant Dolphins rallied late, as Nick Ciantar reports.
Both teams were out of the finals race but they wanted to end their season on a strong note.
The Zebras jumped out of the blocks to a 31-point quarter time lead. Zebras’ defender Jay Lever had the job on goal-kicking leader Michael Lourey and he kept him to one touch in the first quarter.
Lourey was leading the goal-kicking by two goals before the start of the round, but second placed Ben Warren had kicked two goals to become equal leader with Lourey. Port Melbourne’s Dean Galea was third entering the final round five goals behind.
Frankston struggled to move the ball into their fifty and the Zebras were winning the clearances. Young Zebra James Munro (18 disposals, 1 goal) had the hard match-up on Dolphins’ ball-winner Leigh Kitchin (16 disposals).
The Zebras were winning the early midfield battle and Adam Cockie had 13 disposals in the first quarter.
Sandringham continued their relentless midfield pressure in the second quarter before the players started to become fiery as the half time siren sounded.
This sparked the Dolphins and they came out firing in the third quarter. Sandringham had kicked 14 goals to Frankston’s eight in the first half, but the Dolphins turned the tide by winning the ball more out of the middle.
They stopped Sandringham’s ability to break through the corridor via Jimmy Webster (22 disposals, 1 goal), Nathan Wright (17 disposals, 1 goal) and Luke Barnhoorn (21 disposals) but Frankston couldn’t convert on the scoreboard.
Frankston had kicked 5.7 to 4.1 in the quarter and were well led by Jayden Cass (14 disposals) who kicked three goals in the term. They got as close as eight points in the last term but the Zebras put the game to bed with a late Darren Minchington major.
The difference was Sandringham’s ability to keep the influential Dolphins quiet throughout the game. Webster played on Dolphins’ Ziggy Alwan (13 disposals) while Jordan Staley (6 disposals, 1 goal) kept Dolphins dynamo forward Khan Haretuku to three possessions.
Sandringham Assistant Coach Matt Embling said post match that it was the young Sandringham players that stood up in the heat of the moment.
“Peter Shakallis did a great job down back on (Sam) Lloyd. We rate him pretty high Lloyd, and after quarter time he definitely had the better of him.
“Oscar (Persson) in his role as a ruck-man came in, gave Louie (Lewis Pierce) a chop out when Louie got injured. He is a bit undersized but did well against (Russell) Gabriel. Gabriel is a really good ruck-man.”
Munro’s job on Kitchin also received praise from Embling.
“Jimmy Munro’s role on Kitchin was a fantastic job. [It was] probably really pivotal. The lockdown role he did was instrumental for us getting the win today.”
Cockie (22 disposals, 1 goal) was ruthless in the first half before succumbing to a black eye while Beau Maister and Minchington both finished with three goals. Sam Dunell (26 disposals, 2 goals) inspired his teammates with his communication and gut-running around the ground.
The Dolphins worked hard in the second half but it was all too late. Luke Potts (29 disposals, 2 goals) ran tirelessly through the midfield all day, while ruck-man Gabriel (18 disposals, 2 goals) got the better of Pierce and Persson.
But the story of the day was when Lourey lined up for his 54th goal for the season in the last quarter to make him out-right leader in the ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal. He held the title for just 24 hours, before seven goals in the final game of the season by Port Melbourne’s Dean Galea stole the title away.
Photo: Dave Savell
Last Modified on 26/08/2013 21:22