The Northern Knights have gone down to the TAC Cup's in form team, the Eastern Ranges by 29 points at Box Hill City Oval. The Ranges had a strong early start and while the Knights were threatening to get back in the game at times, the Ranges were always able to respond.
The elements didn't make for a pretty game of football, with a rapid downpour of rain just before half time creating an even messier spectacle - not to mention the wind changing direction throughout.
Significantly, the Ranges were only missing one player on Vic Metro duties, while the Knights were without five and the depth of the Knights was immediately tested. The Ranges jumped out to an early quarter time lead and controlled most of the play. The Knights were not working as hard for each other as they have in previous weeks - handball receives were low, which indicates a lack of run.
Nyaburu Kelly gave the team a lift in the second term with two goals, who along with Adrian Totino and Brad Hanchette was performing well in the midfield. Hanchette was keeping notable Ranges ball winner, Brad Jones quiet and was accumulating a lot of the ball himself. Despite this, the Ranges increased their lead and at the main break were up by four goals.
In many ways the Knights could consider themselves lucky to only be four goals down. Coach, Paul Satterley noted that they were playing dry weather football on a wet day. "We overused the ball a bit and only had ourselves to blame (for the deficit). The ball was turned over by foot too much."
A great start to the third quarter gave the Knights every chance. Jake Spiteri and Josh Merkel were giving strong targets up forward and they managed three goals between them early in the third quarter, but the Ranges finished the quarter strongly to once again hold a four goal lead. Essentially the Knights good work at the start of the term was cancelled out by a lapse where the Ranges kicked a few quick goals.
The fourth quarter was much the same with the Ranges keeping the same buffer that they enjoyed for most of the day. Totino and N.Kelly continued their good run out of the midfield, but for the Knights it was a day where there were not enough consistent contributers. Satterley made the point that there were many players who were strong last week in the absence of the Vic Metro contingent but didn't carry on with it this week. "Improvement is not measured over one game, but over the course of the season and there were too many passengers today - guys that played good games last week."
We had a poor week on the track and the way we played reflected that. I believe the old saying that the way you train is the way you play and I'm not sure what caused that, but we didn't train well this week."
We just didn't mark any inroads after half time. Every now and then we fought back and kicked a couple, but then they would kick a couple."
Despite there being a lot of negatives, Satterley was also glowing in his praise of the first tier on ball brigade. "Totino, Narby (N.Kelly) and Hanchette were good today."
"Spita (Spiteri) and Benny Power played their best games of the season. Josh Merkel was also good as a bit of a surprise packet. He really stepped up and he knows that he needs to play like that more often, but it was good to see from him."
"It was an important game to win today, but that really puts us back in the pack. I guess it shows that any side can beat any other side in this competition because it's so even, particularly near the top of the ladder."
Northern Knights 9.11.65 def. by Eastern Ranges 14.10.94
Goals: N.Kelly 3, Merkel 3, Bongetti 2, Spiteri 1
Best: Totino, N.Kelly, Spiteri, Hanchette, Merkel, Power
Last Modified on 30/03/2008 18:17