DEAKIN Ducks powered their way to the Geelong Region Division 1 Men’s title with a 3-1 victory over Geelong Rangers in the grand final at Shell Road Reserve in Ocean Grove last Sunday night.

The Ducks, who went through the home-and-away season undefeated, proved too classy, with goals to Nick Musarra, Chris De Hoog and Harry Woolley securing the premiership.

The two teams could not be split at half time, going into the sheds locked at 0-0.

It was a cagey opening first 45 with both teams reluctant to over commit going forward.

The final 15 minutes of the half saw both teams turn up the physicality and intensity, but with little reward.

Rangers’ Scott Davidson had the first, and only, real chance of the first half when he fired wide with a speculative effort from 25m in the 29th minute.

Any chance of clean football looked to have evaporated quickly in the second half, with rain on 60 minutes turning the match into a scrap.

But it was just a minute later that Deakin struck the first blow with Musarra finding the back of the net.

Just eight minutes later the Ducks were in again with De Hoog lobbing the Rangers keeper after he rushed out but failed to meet the ball in time.

Woolley then put what was the final nail in Rangers’ coffin on 74 minutes, breaching their goal for the third time in 15 minutes.

Davidson picked up a consolation goal in the 79th minute with his perfectly timed free kick finding the back of the net from just outside the box.

But it was too little, too late for Geelong, who will be left ruing a costly 15 minute patch in the second half.

By: Ryan REYNOLDS

(Courtesy of Geelong Advertiser)