St.Arnaud won it’s third game of the season with a 29 point
win over Birchip Watchem. The saints led from the first bounce and were simply
too strong for the bulls in a four quarter effort. This result has left
St.Arnaud in sixth position and Birchip to take the wooden spoon with one round
to go.
Four goals each to Lee Pollock and Austin Fithall propelled
the saints into the commanding lead early and continued to dominate for the
saints. Sam Coloe, playing his 50th senior game, also had a
significant impact on the win.
The day started well with Needs winning the toss to lead his
team with the wind in the first quarter. They wasted little time before kicking
the first goal to get up and running. This came from Lee Pollock. Majority of
the possession was taken by the saints in the first quarter and effective use
of the ball was evident with a second goal coming from Kurtis Torney. St.Arnaud
were definitely more hungry for the ball and led the bulls to many contest.
Quick movement across the ground gave the saints a third goal through Needs.
The great start by St.Arnaud, may be seen as rare by some, but made Birchip
heads drop quickly. Pollock again popped up in the forward line to kick his
second goal, which was finally counteracted by a first goal to the bulls before
quarter time.
St.Arnaud 4 1 25
Birchip 1 2 8
The play evened up early in the second and the supporters
were being starved of any excitement through goals. But this quarter, it was
Birchip who, with assistance from the wind got the first goal from Messer. Good
movement from full back to Soderman in the middle and another pass to Pollock
in the forward line rewarded the saints with their first. Soderman continued
his dominance with another pin point pass to Needs for a goal. Birchip worked
that score back shortly after with Tim Walder giving the bulls some positive
signs. But the teamwork from the saints trumped any hopes that Birchip had off
gaining ground on them. A 50 metre penalty to Coloe resulted in a goal and was
followed shortly after by Pollock’s fourth. Players such as Sam Dyke, Soderman,
Hando and Gifford were pivotal in attacking moves and defending any of
Birchip’s moves. But the bulls broke through the defences late in the quarter
to record a second goal to Messer. Zac Holmes then goaled to shorten the margin
between the teams to 15 points heading into the main break.
St.Arnaud 8 4 52
Birchip 5 7 37
Goals were hard to come by in the third quarter but the
saints made sure they made the most of their chances. Soderman put on the first
for the saints. Josh Blair of Birchip kept the bulls in the quarter with a goal
to equal the opposition’s efforts. But it was all the saints for the remaining
of the quarter and goals to Needs and Fithall put St.Arnaud in the box seat at
the final change. A 30 point lead at three quarter time had the saints in a
positive position to take out the match.
St.Arnaud 11 7 73
Birchip 6 7 43
The game was all but wrapped up with the first goal of the
quarter to Fithall. But the bulls were unwilling to give in and pressure across
the ground brought the margin back to 30 points with assistance from Blair.
Fithall was all that stood in the way of Birchip with goals being counteracted
between him and Birchip. He put on two more goals to add to his tally. The
goals to Birchip left the margin at 29 points at the full time siren to reward
St.Arnaud with a much deserved win.
St.Arnaud 14 9 93
Birchip 9 10 64
Birchip-Watchem
Goal Kickers: P. Messer 2, J. Blair 2, T. Walder , J. Symes , Z.
Holmes , A. Bogan , S. MATHESON
Best Players: R. Koops, J. Blair, R. Lee, Z. Holmes, T. Walder, A. Lyubicic
St Arnaud
Goal Kickers: L. Pollock 4, A. Fithall 4, D. Needs 3, S. Coloe ,
L. Soderman , K. Torney
Best Players: B. Hando, M. Ciurleo, A. Fithall, L. Soderman, B. Batters, L. Pollock
Last Modified on 16/08/2010 23:05