In the top 5 for the first time all season, West Preston-Lakeside were out to continue their good form of late with a win over 4th placed Northcote Park. With Brad Sanderson lining up for his 350th club game, there was even more reason for West to win.
Unfortunately though, they dropped short of the mark, going down by 30 points to a more skillful Northcote Park. Northcote Park was much cleaner with the footy all day, using it by foot to much more avail than West.
With Naci Eshel drawing the game for the reserves with an on the siren goal from the boundary, the crowd at J.E. Moore Park were excited for what the seniors game may bring.
The opening quarter was a hard fought contest with much the play in between the two forward 50’s. After around 10 minutes, Northcote Park got the opening goal from a free-kick. From here though West’s tackling pressure lifted, not allowing Northcote Park clean possession of the ball. This pressure was rewarded with a goal to Alex Gleeson.
The quarter finished off how it had started with Northcote Park more skillful but West outdoing them with pressure. At quarter time it was West’s 7 to Northcote Park’s 9.
At the start of the second quarter the wind had dropped off, allowing a more skillful game overall, but it was Northcote Park who took advantage of it, outscoring West 4 goals to 1 for the quarter.
West kicked the second of the quarter through David Bonadio, only for their pressure to drop off. Allowing Northcote Park too much time on the ball around the middle of ground cost West, with Northcote Park extending their lead to 20 points at half-time, though it felt like a much bigger gap.
At half time, with Northcote Park leading 35-15, Coach Frankie Raso stressed on the simple things. Explaining the basics need to be done out there, including improving their decision making going forward. Raso said they’d need a full team effort, everyone needed to lift.
The second half started much like the first one ended, with Northcote Park kicking the first four goals, to really start running away with game. It was all too easy out there for Northcote Park with West allowing them too much space and really lacking in their talk around the ground.
The last 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter though, showed a big improvement from the home side, lifting their pressure around the ball to the standard they had set in the opening quarter.
This pressure was soon rewarded with two late goals to Bonadio and a great team goal that was finished off by Oliver Dufficy. At three quarter time the score was 4.6.30 to 9.6.55.
The three quarter time huddle was enthusiastic about the end of the third quarter and everyone wanted to run on with it. Raso told the players “it’s gonna come”.
And come it did, with a goal straight from the restart to James McInerney following a clearance from Gleeson and a ball to the goal square from the 350-gamer Sanderson.
Northcote Park soon got one back, but not long before Gleeson kicked his second, after a brilliant piece of individual play in the forward 50. James McInerney soon backed this up with his second of the quarter, and second of the afternoon.
A goal against the run of play to Northcote Park coming from a strong contested mark squashed any hopes of a comeback for West though, bringing the margin to just outside 3 goals.
A goal to Shaun Barker was soon cancelled out as Northcote Park got one straight back, before putting away one more. West’s intensity had dropped for the last 5 minutes and it showed with those last two goals going to Northcote Park.
Northcote Park eventually won the game 13.9.87 to West’s 8.9.57.
After the first quarter, West Preston-Lakeside just couldn’t quite get within reach for the rest of the game, with Northcote Park simply having more polish around the ground. The Rooster’s first and last quarter’s matched that of Northcote Park’s but it wasn’t enough with Northcote Park playing consistent four quarter footy.
Best: X. Clarke, A. Dobby, A. Gleeson, M. Batey, J. Ramaekers, J. Hiho
Goals: A. Gleeson 2, J. McInerney 2, D. Bonadio 2, S. Barker, O. Dufficy
Last Modified on 12/09/2015 18:13