Greensborough have kept their premiership hopes alive in the Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 competition after securing a gripping four-point elimination final victory over Hurstbridge at Preston City Oval.
The margin only reached double-digits once on a fiercely windy afternoon, as wayward kicking and solid defensive marking created a tough-contested slog where both sides failed to apply strong scoreboard pressure.
With the total deadlocked for the opening 10-minutes of the final quarter amidst difficult goalscoring conditions, Nick Kent’s 15th-minute major to reclaim the lead lifted the Bridges to the precipice of their first Division 1 finals win in club history.
But with the wind at their back, the Boro followed with repeat chances, which eventually proved fruitful.
A late lead-changing goal by Brody Glenn produced the dagger in the Bridges season, as the Boro held on for a dramatic 7.11 (53) to 6.13 (49) triumph.
The result marks the club’s first senior finals win since the 2019 second semi-final and ends a three-game losing streak against Hurstbridge, who now finish consecutive seasons exiting in the elimination final.
Greensborough captain Jack Johnston was again the standout man, always finding himself in the right position to take intercept marks, which if tallied would have well-surpassed double figures.
Kristian Ferronato continued his stellar 2024 form, battling tenaciously alongside regular midfield contributors in Tom O’Sullivan and Ben Pannam.
For the third time in four weeks, Brody Glenn topped his side’s scoreboard charts, this time producing four majors, while Ferronato and Zak McCubbin rounded out the side’s three individual goalkickers.
The low-scoring affair was the match’s theme, with heavy wind to the city end causing difficulties with set-shots and transition.
After his side won the toss, Hurstbridge’s Mitchell Hymus capitalised immediately, launching the ball from 60 metres out, and most importantly, over the goal umpire’s head for the opening goal of the match.
Looking dangerous on the burst, Greensborough responded back through a quick counter which fell to Zak McCubbin, but it would be the men in navy and gold who won the territory battle for the quarter’s duration.
Playing together for the first time since Round 15, Mitchell Moschetti and William Cookson returned to their damaging form in midfield, while Caelan Anderson and Kye Declase both entered the scorebook to extend their sides lead to 10 points.
But knowing the wind would now turn to their advantage, the Boro charged out the gates with dominance to begin the second term.
The influence of Kristian Ferronato was already telling due to his clearance work, but he made it evermore present when he slotted a set-shot to reduce the margin within a kick.
Following up with a Brody Glenn goal, the Boro looked determined to surge toward a hearty half-time lead, but Hurstbridge would find a way to steady the ship.
Liam Middleton acted as a brilliant rebound defender, while Jake Richards and Christopher McCabe also fought bravely across a swarmed back line.
Against the wind, the Bridges found a way to respond and wrestled back momentum, but could not convert their opportunities, leaving them goalless for the quarter but trailing by just three points at the main break.
More of the same persisted to start the second half, as the game descended into a lull which beckoned for a spark.
At the 15-minute mark of the third quarter, Harry O’Brien received a free-kick 30 metres out directly in front and finally slotted his team’s first major since the 26-minute-mark of the opening quarter.
Again, scoring opportunities went awry for Joel Cordwell’s men, finding themselves at 4.11 before Greensborough produced a game changing three minutes of football.
In blistering transition, Greensborough charged the ball from the back-half into their forward 50 in a matter of moments, but a calamitous number of skill errors thereafter only resulted in a stoppage deep in the pocket.
But from Thomas Brindley’s rushed clearing kick, Zak McCubbin marked and immediately snapped a jubilant goal for Boro.
From the centre clearance, Tom O’Sullivan claimed the ball from the middle and found Brody Glenn, who was quick to rocket to a match-high three goals.
An ill-disciplined free-kick to Harry O’Brien in the goal square would cancel out this latest Boro effort, but having nullified the wind advantage to remain in front, Greensborough would hold the pivotal advantage heading into the decisive quarter.
Much like the rest of the match, prolonged possession proved difficult to find for either side, but with a ramping intensity, inevitably somebody had to break the deadlock.
Against the run of play, Hurstbridge finally created enough space for a penetrative forward entry, as Caelan Anderson wheeled around on his right-foot to find a diving Nick Kent in the goal square.
The Bridges lead would be short lived however, as a costly off the ball free-kick awarded Glenn a gift 10 metres from goal.
With the clock soon entering time-on, that goal would ultimately be fatal to Hurstbridge’s season, as desperate forward entries could not find a beneficiary.
In the dying seconds the Bridges generated a last-ditch opportunity as Jack Stewart bursted on the lead into the forward 50, but against a strong countering wind the floating ball would drift agonisingly short of his awaiting arms and instead into the intercepting lunges of the Greensborough defence.
The crow of the siren echoed moments later, pouring scenes of jubilation and heartbreak across Preston City Oval.
Having avenged their season-ending loss to the Bridges from last year, the Boro now await North Heidelberg in a mouthwatering semi-final clash next Sunday.
