The Northern Bullants have come away with the points from their match against bottom placed Frankston, but they had to do it the hard way with the Dolphins not giving up throughout the afternoon. After trailing by one point at quarter time, a six goal to one second term helped set up the win, with the Bullants weathering a third term fight back by the Dolphins to claim victory by 16 points. The win saw the Bullants jump to second spot at the end of round seven in the VFL.
It what some may have believed would be a one sided game due to the sides respective ladder positions (4th vs 13th), the Dolphins showed the Bullants they were in for a tough day at the office when they piled the pressure on the visitors in the first term. The Bullants were not able to get their running game going, with Frankston getting the better of their opponents at the stoppages.
The match up of Russell Gabriel and Shaun Hampson in the ruck was a match highlight, with Gabriel gaining the points on the day. Scoring was limited for both sides in the first term, and the first score was not recorded till the six minute mark when Tyson Thomas intercepted a Dolphins pass to put the Bullants up by six points. The swirling breeze at Frankston Oval could not be mastered by either side, and after missed attempts by both teams, Frankston finally scored their first major of the day at the 22 minute mark, as Luke Potts capped off his dominant first term to see his side lead by one solitary point at quarter time.
Frankston started the better of the two sides in the second term, but their first goal to Shane Hockey five minutes in was to be their last of the quarter. The Bullants replied with three goals in as many minutes to turn a seven point deficit into an eleven point lead. Ryan Houlihan had an impact in his first game back from injury, kicking two in row, and Adam Marcon kicked one on the run to give his side the advantage. Missed chances cost the Dolphins in the second term, as the Bullants kicked another three unanswered goals to finish the term, and led by 30 points at half time.
The third term can be best described by two words - Luke Clark. With his side trailing by five goals, Frankston forward Luke Clark produced a blistering third term to help the home side right back into the game.
Clark turned the game on its head kicking five third term goals. Clark began his run by kicking goal of the day along the boundary line one minute into the term, and then followed it up with a strong lead and mark to kick his second. Moments later it was Clark again marking strongly up forward on the lead, to kick his third and draw the margin back to 12 points.
The Bullants were finally able to break his run of goals at the 10 minute mark, when Wayde Twomey kicked his first of the day, but it was not long till Clark was back on the scoreboard.
Not happy with simply having goal of the day to his name, Clark quickly added mark of the day to his collection as he launched himself up forward to mark, and went back to slot through his fourth.
Clark was not finished yet, and nine minutes later he again marked up forward to kick his fifth goal, and drew the Dolphins to within seven points. Khan Haretuku finally broke the Clark run of goals to kick Frankston’s sixth goal of the quarter, which brought the home side within two points at the 31 minute mark. But it was a Shaun Hampson mark and goal right on the three quarter time siren that gave the Bullants the edge going into the final term.
The Bullants held an eight point lead at the start of the last, and goals to Adam Iacobucci and Thomas in the first 12 minutes saw the Bullants out to a 21 point lead. Whilst Daniel Uzarevic was able to kick one of the run for the Dolphins to reduce the margin back to 16, when Adam Marcon marked up forward to kick his second of the game, the Bullants had the buffer they needed. A late goal to Andrew Douglas reduced the margin back to 16 points, with the Bullants securing their fifth win of the season.
Last Modified on 19/05/2011 13:27