ASHLEY Hobbs kicked nine goals for South Morang to highlight Round 2 of Division 3 action, prior to the Easter weekend break.
Hobbs – who joined the Lions this season from Euroa – booted seven goals after half time to help quell a determined Heidelberg West team at Heidelberg Park. He was ably supported by 16-year-old Anthony Capeci, who scored three goals himself.
The Hawks, who had the bye first up, fielded a few young players in their first ever senior game. They applied pressure and, as a result, were able to capitalise on Lion turnovers and were the better team in the first half.
They led by eight points at half time – a margin which should have been greater but for wasteful kicking in front of goal – but the injuries were already mounting. Eventually, South Morang was able to use the ball better and win the ball back from tiring Hawk players.
The Lions were able to see off a brief resurgence from Heidelberg West early in the final stanza and drew away with the final five goals of the match to win by 40 points.
“We did it the hard way,” noted Lions coach Craig Lambert. But he was pleased that the team’s fitness level enabled them to draw away after being under pressure early.
Hawk coach Derek Shaw lamented the injury count. “We ran out of fit players,” he said in the post-game. James McLean-Brunton was Heidelberg West’s best, while new additions Mitchell Reeves, Taner Cagin and Dylan Demtschyna all did enough to show that they are useful recruits.
After receiving a triple-digit drubbing from Thomastown in Round 1, Parkside began very well against St Mary’s at Pitcher Park with a four-goal to one first quarter and led by 14 points at half time.
St Mary’s eventually overran the Devils in the second half – kicking nine goals to four after half time to record an 18-point victory – its first for season 2014. Parkside has now lost both games this year after leading at quarter time.
However, its effort against St Mary’s was much better than the 109-point loss in the opening round.
Burra’s John Desmond and Parkside’s Tom McKinlay continued on from their good form in Round 1 and were named their respective side’s best player.
Thomastown went to the top of the ladder with a 14-point win over Watsonia at A.K. Lines Reserve – its first win over the Saints in Division 3 after four losses in 2013. The Bears had a big lead at the final change and held on to beat the fast-finishing hosts.
Bear Jacob Osei-Duro booted four goals to take his tally to 10 for the year. He is currently trailing only Ashley Hobbs (12 goals) on the goal kicking table following the Easter break.
Round 3 action sees undefeated teams Reservoir (who had the round 2 bye) and Thomastown meet in a top of the table tussle at Crispe Park – with the match coinciding with the Mustangs’ R U OK? Day.
The sides last met in the 2013 first semi final – which the Bears won comfortably. Previously, the record was one win each in tight contests during last year’s regular season.
The Mustangs will have had three weeks between their first and second matches due to their Round 2 bye. They will look to continue their good form from the opening round, where they were victorious over St Mary’s by 56 points.
Parkside has back-to-back home games when it hosts Watsonia. The Devils would like to turn their good starts into victories, while a Saints win would establish them inside the top four. Outings between the sides in 2013 proved to be close affairs.
St Mary’s has a chance to build on its Round 2 win when it welcomes Heidelberg West to Whatmough Park. They accounted for Heidelberg West in both of their 2013 meetings, including kicking a club-record score of 23.17 (155) when they last met at the ground.
The Hawks welcome back co-captain Dan Bailey from suspension for the encounter, while the Easter break gives some of their injured players a chance to recover for the club’s second game of the year.
