Sat 1st Sept- Last round of the home and away season, last chance for the senior team to make the finals and the chance for the reserve team to secure the double chance. The sun was shining and there was hardly a breath of wind in what could only be described as the perfect day for football. The scenario was plain, win and keep the margin within 18 points of Northcote Parks winning margin over Greensborough and we play finals. The question would be if Greensborough could prevent a massacre.
The Reserve team started well taking an early 2 goal lead and a quarter time lead that looked promising. Then unfortunately the game was blown apart by Heidelberg. Monty didn't score another goal for the remaining three quarters in an effort that surely goes down as one of Alan Hoffman's worst memories in football. There needs to be a huge turn around for next week and I'm sure as a club we can count on that.
The Senior game was perhaps the best game of NFL football for the year. After last weeks debarcle the turn up of the Monty faithful showed how loyal a fan base we have, as surely some would have been worried that the undefeated Heidelberg would beat us up by more than Bundoora last week. Instead of staying home and licking wounds our fans turned out in numbers and we had a great crowd and those that were there saw pride, passion and pure good old fashioned guts and determination out on the field today. We took Heidelberg to the wire like no other side this year, and it looked at one stage that we would infact win the game. It was a case of so near yet so far, and though we lost, the crowd trully appreciated such a good game of competitve football and our boys were clapped from the field.
Heidelberg will tell us they were not at full strength and look to excuses for the game being so close. Instead they should have been thanking us for giving them the most competitve game for the year just before the finals. Consider that we played a 17 year old, 3 18 year olds and a 19 year old player, the future at Monty is bright. Also consider Matt Reinke, 17 years old, could have won the game off his own boot with his shot on goal dropping just short and being marked in the goal sqaure by Heidelberg in the dying minutes. The game just highlighted the difference between the experience of the 2 clubs and the polish that is required to win a premiership. While we have proven we can be close, we just need to close that gap a bit more for next year.
In many respects it was just as well we didn't win as it turned out Northcote Park smashed Greensborough by 59 points. It would have been cruel to beat the Bergers then still miss out on the finals. But how sweet would that victory have been? We won't know now till next year, so I hope everyone now gets behind the club for 2008 and we look forward to seeing you all through the Reserves finals campaign.
Last Modified on 06/09/2007 11:26