RESERVOIR hung on bravely to beat a determined Epping by four points at Crispe Park in Round 2 of Division 3 action.
With the Reservoir 1975 premiership team looking on, the Mustangs held the lead from late in the first stanza until the final siren.
The Blues got to within a goal on several occasions late in the game, but were never able to regain the lead.
“It’s a four quarter game,” Epping coach Steve Power. “We played a half – and that won’t win you games of footy.”
Indeed, the match slipped away from Epping in the first half. The Blues were more than competitive in the opening quarter, but turned the ball over when streaming forward.
Mustang Leigh Sullivan was able to capitalise in defence by taking numerous intercept marks early in the game.
Up the other end, Reservoir made the most of fewer inside 50 entries. Kent Beaumont booted two majors. His first came after he marked with no Epping opponent in sight.
Reservoir broke away in the second term with three goals to nil. Ash Flavel slotted two of his four goals for the day in this quarter.
The Blues had been sloppier with their ball movement – resulting in a 20-point deficit at the main break.
Shane Wood was one of Epping’s best in the first half, reading the play well from half back and repelling many Mustang attacks. But coach Power rolled the dice at half time and Wood began the third term in attack. The move paid immediate dividends – as Wood goaled within a minute.
With Blue Daniel Moore clearly the best on the ground, Epping gradually fought its way back into the game. Its ability to transfer the ball quickly from defence to attack gradually improved.
From 16-points down at the last break, Epping made its move. When the Blues’ only multiple goal-kicker, Chris Chilcott, slotted a set shot from 40 metres out on an acute angle, the margin was less than a kick.
From then on it was goal for goal. The Mustang players were able to dig deep and stick some match-saving tackles. The most memorable of these resulted in a free kick to Liam Ryan on the wing. Then successive 50-meter penalties took him to the goal line for an easy conversion.
Lively Blue Josh Stavely goaled on the run late in the game to give a glimmer of hope to his team. But it was to be the last goal of the contest.
New Reservoir recruit Judd Darby followed up his good effort the previous week with another top performance and was very crisp with his disposal when the pressure was at its greatest.
Lee Grattidge put in one of his best games for the club – after being on the fringe in 2014. His classy performance was best exemplified by a give and get handball and goal in the third term.
“I’m pleased about the way we played four quarters of footy,” a relieved Reservoir coach Ross Terranova said.
This stands in contrast to his side’s opening match of the season when it was blown away in the opening term and never able to get back into it.
Both teams now sit with a win and a loss – and will be looking to cement their spot in the top four in coming weeks.
Final score: Reservoir 11.10 (76) def Epping 10.12 (72)
