The Dandenong Southern Stingrays have qualified for a TAC Cup Preliminary Finals berth after a heart stopping 3 point Semi Final win over a gritty and determined Western Jets last Sunday at Princes Park, Carlton. The new finals format where all first round TAC Cup finals were elimination, forced every game to be a nail biter which reinforces that the closeness of the teams on the TAC Cup ladder was no coincidence. The winning margins of the four games were 3, 6, 14 and 21 points with all finals high quality, fast paced, high skilled and very exciting.
The Stingrays were lucky to get first use of a very strong wind and attacked repeatedly only to have the Jets bottle up the ball deep in the Stingrays forwardline. Good play with long running goals from Matt Clark, Ricky Ferraro and Paul Rogasch and a smart crumb form Chris Doria set up the Stingrays score. The Stingrays managed 4-5 but allowed a goal on the counter attack and the 21 point buffer at ΒΌ time was adequate but not outstanding considering the strength of the wind.
The second term was fantastic for the Stingrays as they forced the Jets backwards into the wind but could not convert their hard work into goals. One goal four behinds into a six goal wind which included 2 posters was scant reward for all the hard work and hard running the Stingrays did. The Stingrays backline was resolute led by Steven Gaertner, Tom Gillies and Michael Hibberd and kept the Jets to 2-2 so the Stingrays took a 16 point lead into the long break. Fourteen scoring shots to seven should have had the Stingrays further in front at half time.
The third term was controlled by the Stingrays for all but 2 minutes where the Jets kicked their only scores for the term. A goal to the Jets from a crucial turnover followed by a goal directly from the next centre bounce were the only times the Jets threatened the Stingrays. For the rest of the term it was all one way traffic as the Stingrays forced the Jets to defend from deep in their back half. It was once again poor conversion which kept the Jets in the game with a number of Stingrays misses from close range that could have put the game well out of the Jets reach.
The last term was a ripper as the Jets kept coming. The Stingrays were out on their feet and had to kick four goals into the wind to hold out the Jets who piled on nine goals six behinds to close within 3 points with two minutes to go. A couple of fine defensive efforts by the Stingrays to win one on one contests and repel the ball forward where they were able to hold on by 3 points.
Next weekend sees the Stingrays tackle local rival the Gippsland Power in a TAC Cup Preliminary final on Saturday at 11.10am at Princes Park, Carlton. The two times the Stingrays and Power have played this season sees a win apiece with the Stingrays winning the latest encounter a month ago at Casey Fields by a mere 3 points.
Last Modified on 15/09/2008 21:10