GREENSBOROUGH has continued its perfect start to the season with a three-point victory over West Preston-Lakeside at J.E. Moore Park.
A final quarter revival from the Roosters wasn’t enough to overcome the Boro who finished the winners 10.8 (68) to 9.11 (65).
A six-goal to two second quarter, which included a seven-goal run, from Greensborough helped set up what was believed by many to be a comfortable lead.
The Boro went into the final quarter with all the momentum, having held the lead since half way through the second quarter.
Boro coach Robert Hyde sent his players out with one simple message: “Win the quarter by a point, three goals or one goal, just win the quarter and we win the game.”
20 points was the lead at the start of the last quarter but once Alroy Gilligan goaled in the first minute of the quarter, belief was instilled into the Roosters players.
Five minutes later and Gilligan had his second for the quarter and the margin was brought back to four points. A steadier from Greensborough ruckman Michael Hooper stretched the margin out to 10 points and it again appeared the Boro would be safe.
Gilligan proved to be the X-factor needed for the Roosters’ revival, kicking his third goal for the quarter at the 16-minute mark. The intensity lifted in the final ten minutes of the game as the ball swept from one end to the other.
The final chance for the game came from a long ball into the forward 50 for the Roosters.
It landed at the feet of Glenn Robertson, who then gathered possession of the ball, wheeled around onto his left and from 30 metres out was unable to kick the goal as it hung out to the left of the left goal post.
As the ball sailed through for a behind, the siren rang and both sides collapsed in complete exhaustion, a telling sign of the frantic pace late in the game.
Tim Bongetti added another three goals to his season tally as he again proved versatile for the Boro, spending time forward, in the ruck and further up the ground.
Midfielders Josh Grubb, Ricky Mullins and Sean Salmon all impressed, while defenders Drew Wilson and Daniel McLinden were superb down back, providing both run and nullifying their opponents.
Luke Lirosi, Shaun Gannon and Paul DiGiuseppe tried gallantly all day for West Preston-Lakeside but just didn’t have enough help from their fellow teammates early in the match when Greensborough were putting them to the sword.
It was another close result for West Preston-Lakeside, who could have been sitting 3-0 if it had defeated Northcote Park in the Round 1 drawn game and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the Boro.
In what is proving to be a very competitive season of Division 1 football, the Roosters could rue those results.
Greensborough now sits in second position on the ladder, equal on three wins with Bundoora and Heidelberg, while the Roosters sit in fifth position.
The Boro will look to keep their unbeaten run alive when they face Macleod at home at War Memorial Park in Round 4, while West Preston-Lakeside travels to Yulong Reserve to take on ladder-leader and reigning premier Bundoora.
Final score: West Preston-Lakeside 9.11 (65) def by Greensborough 10.8 (68)
