Hands up if you remember the Geelong v St Kilda game at Etihad Stadium in round 14 of the 2009 AFL home and away series? The top teams went into the match undefeated and a crowd of 54444 witnessed an unforgettable game of football where every contest was must win & the intensity displayed by both teams was phenomenal. In the end one goal separated the combatants after 120 minutes of football.
Yesterday at Box Hill City Oval VWFL spectators were treated to a game of similar intensity when Diamond Creek took on East Burwood in the Premier Division preliminary final. Diamond Creek were coming off the back of a very good performance against Darebin where they lost by 3 goals in the semi finals while East Burwood had comprehensively accounted for VU St Albans and were in very good form going into the game.
The wind was quite strong and was favouring the southern or Maroondah Highway end of the ground but in the reserves match East Burwood was able to score 2 goals to the Northern or Eastern Freeway end of the ground so scoring into the wind was possible.
In the first quarter East Burwood attacked relentlessly with the wind. Creeker Bec Sibenaler was resolute in defence early and Melissa Douglas gave the Creekers plenty of run and drive around the ground. East Burwood scored 2.3 for the quarter and the Creekers managed a goal against the wind.
The Creekers attacked with the wind in the second quarter. Lou Wotton and Meg Hutchins were stand outs for the Devils in defence and Sarah McNamara gave them drive across the ground. The Creekers kicked 2.3 while holding the Devils scoreless and the Creek went in 1 goal up at the main break.
The 3rd quarter was a reversal of the 2nd with East Burwood kicking 2.3 while Diamond Creek failed to score and the Devils took an 8 point lead into the last change. Devils coach Leeann Gill urged her team to continue to apply defensive pressure at every contest while Neil staples asked the Creekers to run and run and give 110%.
The last quarter was an intense and see sawing contest. Every contest was do or die and the intensity was unbelievable. The Creekers attacked and attacked and were thwarted time and again by Lauren Tesoriero who stood tall in defence. Kirsty lamb was up and running and working hard and goaled to bring the Creekers back to 2 points before Meg Hutchins snapped a miracle goal from the Middleborough Rd forward pocket at the Northern end. It seemed like the Devils could pull off an unlikely victory. Still the Creekers attacked and Kirsty Lamb kicked her 2nd for the quarter to give the Creekers a 1 point lead. The Devils kept attacking and an errant Creekers kick out of defence went out on the full. The Devils had one last chance to attack with seconds left on the clock. The siren sounded with the Creekers leading by a point. High drama was the order of the day as Devil Steph Walding went back to kick from near the 50 metre line after the siren. A goal would win it for the Devils and a point would see the match go into extra time. Creekers played flooded back to protect the goal line and Walding’s kick failed to score so it was the Creekers who prevailed by the narrowest of margins to advance to the 2010 VWFL premier division Grand Final.
WOW! What a game. This was a game that everyone who witnessed it will never forget. The intensity, the determination, the skills, the pressure, the hardness at the contest. It was all on display in 100 minutes of intense footy. For East Burwood this loss will burn deep within and will really hurt the, the Devils under Leeann gill in 2009/2010 has improved enormously and should take a lot of heart from this game & the 2010 season. They have come of age in 2010 and must surely now have the belief that they can match it with the best in the league. The pre season won’t come soon enough for the Devils. For the Creekers, their season continues and they keep marching on to take on Darebin in the 2010 VWFL Premier Division Grand Final.
SENIORS
Diamond Creek 1.1, 3.4, 3.4, 5.8 (38)
East Burwood 2.3, 2.3, 4.6, 5.7 (37)
GOALS, Diamond Creek : Kirsty Lamb 2, Stacey Cross 1, Tracey Ashley 1, Bianca Richmond 1
East Burwood : Meg Hutchins 2, Fiona Steiert 2, Lauren Tesoriero 1
BEST, Diamond Creek : Kirsty Lamb, Bianca Richmond, Kaitlyn Smith, Tracey Ashley, Stacey Cross, Dianna Haines
East Burwood : Sarah McNamara, Lou Wotton, Lauren Tesoriero, Shelley Beggs, Fiona Steiert, Meg Hutchins
RESERVES
East Burwood 1.3, 3.4, 5.6, 5.7 (37)
St Kilda City 0.1, 1.3, 1.5, 3.7 (25)
GOALS, East Burwood : Laura Cartledge 2, Paige Smith 1, Olivia Crowe 1, Shannon Young 1
St Kilda: Kerry Saunders 1, Jessica Humphries 1, Amanda Kennedy 1
BEST, East Burwood : Laura Cartledge, Elisha Murrowood, Linda Robinson, Chelsea Wingrove, Melissa White, Robyn Foster
St Kilda: Rachel Achampong, Melinda Robinson, Amanda Kennedy, Skye Paice, Hayley Landy, Belinda Bowey
Last Modified on 13/02/2011 15:37