The Toronto Dingos pulled out a strong performance when they needed it the most, cruising to a 6-goal victory in Round 11 over their old 2010 GF Rivals, the Central Blues. Despite some wet conditions and a tight first half, the Dingos exploded in the second half, wracking up 5 unanswered goals while keeping the Blues completely off the scoreboard for the last two quarters, prevailing with a scoring line of 8.8-56 to 2.4-16.
The win comes at a crucial stretch of th eseason, with the season winding down and the Red and Black still fighting for a spot in the Finals. The Dingos now sit alone in 7th on the AFLO 2012 Season ladder, but just one win back from the three-way tie at 4th-to-6th between the Hamilton Wildcats (4th), the High Park Demons (5th) and the Toronto Rebels (6th).
Full match report to come - details of this match can be found here, while photos taken by AFLO photographer Rob Colburn can be found on his Picasa account here. Next up, the Dingos hit the road for a match against the Ottawa Swans, another must-win for the Red and Black.
=============================================
The Dingos were back in action on Saturday as they took to the field against the Central Blues for the second time this season. The Blues have had the upper hand over the Dingos in recent years, although the Dingos took the teams’ previous encounter by 64-points. Going into this match, both teams were tied on 16-points apiece and eager to come out with a win to remain in finals contention.
Heavy rain had hit Humber South prior to the opening bounce, making it tough conditions for both sides in a very waterlogged field. As the sun tried to break out in the first quarter, the Dingos hit the scoreboard first through some great work at ground level and a quick snap by ruckman Tom Bell. Despite the conditions, both teams’ skills were sharp and the play moved quickly from end to end. The first quarter ended with the scores level at 1. 3. 9.
The second quarter saw the Dingos begin to control the play against a less experienced Blues outfit. Justin Robertson and Yoni Moussadji were dominant off the half back flanks, and moved the ball swiftly up the ground. A nice set shot by second-year player Kyle Timmins, and a miracle snap by Chris Buczkowski sent the Dingos into the main break with a one-goal lead.
At half time, coaches Buczkowski and McFarlane urged the entire team to step up a notch and continue to play to the game plan that the team is working to employ. Their wishes were obliged as the Dingos came out much stronger in the third quarter and began to win the ball consistently out of the middle. Two quick goals to Jimmy Duggan gave the red and black some breathing room, and when George McCullagh kicked his first for the day the Dingos could sense victory. When the siren sounded to end the third quarter, the Dingos had a strong 28-point lead.
As the rain began to bucket down in the final quarter, the Dingos continued to work as a unit to close the game out strongly. Great tackling pressure in the forward line lead to goals by Dan Prior and Mick McFarlane, while Mike Karas and Ramsey Blacklock spoiled everything that came into the backline to ensure that the Blues were held scoreless in the second half. When the final siren sounded the Dingos had defeated the Blues by a margin of 40-pts, leaving them right in contention for a finals spot.
Mick McFarlane and Craig Stewart were instrumental in the centre for the Dingos, while ruckmen Tom Bell and Rick Strezovski provided the midfielders with first use of the footy all day long. Yoni Moussadji was awarded “Best on Ground” for his work off half-back, while JV Arnaldo and Denis Cormier were applauded for their strong four-quarter efforts.
The Dingos now face a very interesting final three-rounds as they work to squeeze themselves into the top-6. Next stop: Ottawa.
Final Score: Toronto Dingos 8. 8. 56 def. Central Blues 2. 4. 16
Goals: J. Duggan (2), G. McCullagh, C. Buczkowski, K. Timmins, M. McFarlane, D. Prior, T. Bell
Best: Y. Moussadji, J. Robertson, M. Karas, J. Duggan, T. Bell
Last Modified on 16/01/2013 15:25