St Mary’s have fought out a hard earnt 19-point victory over Thomastown in a highly anticipated MC Labour Division 2 clash at Whatmough Park.
The Burra were challenged on multiple occasions throughout the second half, but their ability to respond with goals on top of the Bears inability to make their most of their opportunities, resulted in the hosts breaking a two-game losing streak and finish 10.11 (71) to 6.16 (52).
Ironically, it’s the same margin that the Bears defeated St Mary’s by in the final round of the 2022 home and away season to claim an unlikely finals spot and knock the Burra out in the process.
Fabian Carelli’s men sit just outside the top five on percentage following the victory, with a clash with Epping to come in a fortnight’s time. Meanwhile Thomastown slip to 3-4-1 and into seventh position ahead of the halfway point of the season.
Lachlan Read led an outstanding defensive unit for the home side and was a key catalyst in the victory, with Connor Kissane, in just his second senior game of the year, played a complete four-quarter match and was particularly pivotal in the final term.
Zak Goodwin produced an exciting three-goal game, with all his majors coming in the first half, while Jack Cicitta also finished with three, which included the last two goals of the game that sealed his side’s fourth win of the season.
Thomastown skipper Anthony Capeci was his side’s only real source of scores. He finished with four goals (he has now kicked 13 majors in his last three games) but like many of teammates, had multiple chances to add to his final tally.
Tyrone Leonardis and Daniel Chadwick led the way in the midfield, with the returning Masaki Miki also prominent in stoppages, while Anthony Bradford continued his great form with another solid performance.
In tricky conditions out at Whatmough Park, the visitors kicked the opening goal of the afternoon nine minutes in after Mitchell Hayse, in his first senior game since 2021, launched truly from outside 50. It would prove to be the only time Thomastown had the lead for the remainder of the game.
Zak Goodwin would then lead St Mary’s to a quick resurgence, kicking two of the next three goals to give his side a 12-point advantage approaching quarter time.
The Bears were in complete control throughout the opening 10 minutes of the second term, but they were unable to convert any chances to goals.
They produced six straight behinds, from the latter stages of the first quarter, before Anthony Capeci finally found the goals 10 minutes into the second term to reduce the deficit to two points.
It continued to be a contested game before the Burra wrestled back the momentum into their favour.
Jeremiah Antypas, who had looked threatening inside 50 at times, slotted through his first of the afternoon before Goodwin’s third goal quickly followed to again push out the home side’s lead to 15 points.
Capeci calmly kicked his second goal just before half time to give his side a nine-point margin to chase in the second half.
With the rain staying away as the third quarter commenced, both sides had ample opportunities to break the game open, however a goal for goal contest took place throughout the term.
Jack Cicitta, Cameron Dowse and Lachlan Read all hit the scoreboard for St Mary’s while Capeci’s third as well as a nice snap from Anthony Bradford kept the Bears in the hunt.
In the final seconds of the quarter, Capeci got on the end of a lead, but the three-quarter time siren sounded just seconds before he could take the mark. It would’ve been a certain goal scoring opportunity, yet he had to settle for a 16-point deficit at the last change.
Almost 15 minutes went by before the first major of the final quarter. The Bears again had repeat inside 50 entries, but the strong Burra defence ensured that any shots at goal were made as difficult as possible.
Capeci’s fourth was his best goal of the afternoon, as he kicked truly from beyond the arc to reduce the margin to single digits and approaching time on, were able to get within one straight kick.
Both sides were desperate to win possession, but St Mary’s, as they had done all afternoon held their nerve and when Cicitta had the chance to ice the game in the last few minutes, he nailed the set shot.
He would volley through a third just moments later to the sound of rapturous celebrations from the St Mary’s faithful, signalising an impressive victory for the Burra.
