GIPPSLAND POWER - MEDIA RELEASE
By BRYAN MITCHELL
Gippsland Power took significant step towards fulfilling their 2007 TAC Cup destiny with a solid win over the North Ballarat Rebels in windy conditions at Casey fields last weekend. The Rebels were keen to test themselves against the Power as they felt that, despite the disparity in their relative ladder positions, they were well placed to cause an upset and defeat the Gippsland boys. The Power went into the match near full strength barring long term injuries and were looking to consolidate their team and the game plan that they have been developing throughout the season.
From the opening bounce the Power served notice that they were on song as Darren Granger, Brent Connelly and Nick Heyne combined for the first goal of the game. Before the dust had settled Haelen Kay had crumbed a clever goal off the pack and things looked ominous for the Rebels. The Power were peppering the goals but were off target until Luke Webber set up Tom Crosby for another major. The Power once again began to miss easy opportunities until some excellent forward pressure allowed Jaryd Blair to show his wasteful team mates how to finish off their work.
Against the run of play the Rebels opened their scoring after some poor defensive intensity by the Power. Webber was in the action again as he combined with Chris Endres to give Heyne his second but it was the Rebels who took the initiative with two late goals as a result of a lack of accountability that was to be too common for the Power for the rest of the game. After dominating play for much of the term the Power only had a 14 point lead at the first change and the hard working Rebels were punishing the Power for some lapses in concentration.
Adrian Hickmott wasn't pleased with the late fade out and challenged the boys to increase their focus and finish off their work more efficiently. They responded brilliantly at the start of the term as Crosby allowed Endres to kick his first before Darren White, Connelly, and Webber linked up to give Michael Stockdale an easy goal. The Power were moving the ball well and their height was a problem for the smaller, stockier Rebels. Sam Kater and Blair allowed James Blaser in for a "munchkins" goal and then some vision by Heyne resulted in Andrew Oldmeadow sneaking up forward for the Power's fourth of the term.
The Power were nearly 40 points up and seeming set to blow the game open but the Rebels hit back hard with goals that came from some complacent efforts by the Power defence. This stung the Gippsland boys into more positive play as a long, direct forward thrust by White saw Michael Stockdale kick a great rover's goal. Seemingly inspired by this piece of play the mercurial Rob Michaelides crafted a trademark major from nothing before another long bomb by Nick Stockdale to the hot spot resulted in Webber's first. By the long break the lead was 46 points and it appeared as if the Rebels had run their race.
It was d
Last Modified on 26/05/2008 14:17