Coburg is back on the winners list after holding their nerve to beat Box Hill by 13 points at Highgate Recreation Reserve on Saturday, as Adem Saricaoglu reports.
The Tigers held on in a tight second half, gaining momentum to overrun the Hawks, as tough windy conditions played havoc on goal-kicking and provided for a dogged, low-scoring contest.
Goals were hard to come by in the first quarter with Box Hill firing many wayward shots out on the full before Derick Wanganeen finally threaded a classy goal from the pocket at the 22-minute mark.
Coburg’s first goal didn’t come until the quarter time siren, when Ozgur Uysal pounced and snapped for a brilliant finish.
Box Hill struggled all day to contain Coburg inside defensive 50, and the first signs of trouble arrived early in the second quarter when Coburg captain Nick Carnell marked strongly and goaled to put the Tigers in front.
Coburg’s pressure became evident throughout the second term as Box Hill continued to push forward, and again both sides found themselves wasting opportunities in front of goal.
By halftime the Tigers could only manage 4.6, while the Hawks’ 4.8 had them two points up.
The game opened up after the main break as both sides traded blows, but it was Box Hill who managed to gain early ascendancy.
Amos Frank’s intercept and goal extended Box Hill’s lead to nine, but the Tigers were quick to reply.
Eventual best-on-ground Willie Wheeler (pictured) got Coburg’s reply minutes later before Ben Clifton put them in front at the 24-minute mark.
It sparked a purple-patch for the Tigers as they got out to a 16-point lead; however the Hawks managed two late goals to reduce the three-quarter time margin to four.
Coburg’s dominant marking inside forward 50 came to the fore in the last term, with Tom Derrickx and Nick Maric both extending the lead, which by the 14-minute mark was extended to a game-high 19 points.
Both McGuane and Rhett Jordan kept Box Hill in the contest with missed opportunities to ice the game for the Tigers, however with the Hawks struggling to find targets up forward, they ran out of time to find a way back.
After the game Coburg coach Adam Potter said it was important for the club to bounce back after a disappointing loss to Frankston a week earlier.
“To come out today and play the way we did with the spirit that we did was fantastic,” he said.
“Our guys fought it out right to the end and our ability to continue to put the ball inside 50 and put them under pressure I thought was really good.”
With a minor leg injury to Dan Connors and Ben Griffiths sidelined as a precaution after a head knock, Coburg effectively played out the second half with two players on the bench.
The disappointment of dropping a winnable game was evident in the Box Hill rooms after the match.
Coach Damian Carroll said his side missed a golden opportunity to consolidate its ladder position.
“We haven’t lost a final but we’re bitterly disappointed because there’s another opportunity you get each week to step up and perform and we didn’t do that and get the win,” he said.
“We didn’t adjust to that increase in pressure and intensity. We struggled to get scoreboard pressure on (that) would have given us some chance of winning the game.
“We’ve certainly got some work to do in our forward line (because) we’re not functioning as well, but I think the inside 50 count (56-43 Coburg’s way) was quite significant considering we only lost the game by two goals.”
Carnell’s three goal effort was important for the Tigers, while McGuane’s 2.4 proved significant late in the game.
Wheeler, Addam Maric and Christian McErlain were also among Coburg’s best performers.
Frank finished with three goals for the Hawks while Brad Hill managed two, with Jarrad Boumann and Clinton Young also named in Box Hill’s best.
Box Hill this weekend host Frankston, whilst Coburg face another top eight side in Werribee Tigers.
Last Modified on 30/04/2012 14:31