Men’s Division 3, Bendigo vs Surrey Park at Mont Albert Reserve, 13/7/19
The weather looked like it might turn pretty cold and dismal on the long haul from Lancefield to Mont Albert, but rain mainly held off for the game, though it was wet underfoot.
Bendigo fronted up with almost a full side (15), though sadly our significant out was injured Mark Reader, whose absence was to prove ever more deeply felt with each passing quarter.
SurreyPark had a bye in State League and a trickle-down of players was fairly evident as we watched a sharp warm-up from their team of 15.
The game began reasonably even in possession with centres Russ Crofts and Brett Ruiz making a good show of getting the ball to the Warhawk middies. Both sides were not settled in attack early on, however, Surrey’s experienced players began to control play and were able to slot three goals in the first quarter. The Bendigo forward line was put under plenty of pressure from a very aggressive Surrey backline, who gave older, slower forwards (read Webb, J.) little room to move and punished dropped catches and forced panicked passes. However, Bendigo scored twice with a great fighting goal from Paul Iuliano and a low-angle special from Ian Lock, giving us a score-line of 3-2 at the first break.
The second quarter saw Surrey step up a gear and they were able to put in four. For Bendigo, Ian Lock got his second, from a John Webb assist, while Jordan O’Meara “did a Wookie” and took the ball out of defence and surprised the Surrey backline with a rampaging solo run and a skidding bounce shot. Nice.
At the half, the score was 7-4.
At resumption of play, Warhawk tempers began to flare and the foul count was higher than usual, as the experience of Surrey saw them draw further ahead with four more goals. Bendigo could only manage a single, though it was a good one, with young blood Matt Saxon taking a pass from John Webb, nimbly sidestepping a Surrey backman and beating the goalie with a well-placed shot. At the last break the score stood at 11-5.
In the final term, Bendigo found a little extra and were able to counter Surrey’s tally of three with two of their own. Alex Orr finally got some reward for a day of relentless attack with a John Webb assist finding his stick as he cut in from the front, and John Webb found himself on the end of a loose ball that clean-bowled three other players as it bounced tantalisingly across the face of goal and lodged in his stick. The Webb shot seemed to be saved, but the goalie fumbled it and the ball finished up at his feet and over the goal line, giving a final score of 14 to 7.
We were outclassed by a team with some fairly high-powered inclusions that made them almost unrecognisable from the team we played last time. There’s no point dwelling here on the fairness of that. The Bendigo team can be pleased that some solid, sometimes frantic defence and a few amazing saves by a riled–up Gino Iuliano in goals prevented Surrey from having the score blowout they would have liked. It’s also worth noting that we had a good spread of six goal scorers. It stands us in good stead if lots of players on our team can get goals.
Votes were awarded to Tim Davis (2 Association votes and 3 club), who put in a huge, exhausting day and earned the respect of one Surrey defender who noted, “That little bastard never lets up”. Indeed.
Matt Saxon was given 2 club votes for his effort on the middie, and both he and Christian Iuliano should be congratulated for never shirking in a division where most of the opposition are MUCH bigger than they are.
Finally, Gino Iuliano was given the last club vote for a day where he was pummelled with good shots and kept many out. He also managed to keep his head under the pressure. Just.
Thanks again to Lester Young for reffing and Mark Saxon for scoring for us.
A break this weekend and then we host Footscray at Bendigo on the 27th of July.
John Webb, senior player.
And in other results from Gino …
U15s boys
Matt Saxon scored 4 goals and Christian Iuliano scored 3 goals and 2 assist in an emphatic win with MCC scoring 12 to 1 against Footscray.
Women’s Bendigo/MCC vs Footscray
Bendigo/MCC beat Footscray 21 to 3 with Jessica Iuliano scoring 2 goals, Abbey Saxon scored 1 goal and Ruby McEvoy scored her first goal in Women’s Lacrosse. They had 10 players against Footscray’s 12. Well done!
Last Modified on 18/07/2019 13:23