IN a game that won’t make too many highlight reels, Mernda defeated Lalor to consolidate a top two spot in Division 2.
Let’s face it, this game won’t make the popular list on the Northern TV portal. No game that sees nine goals kicked for the afternoon between the two sides should.
However, the game was of critical importance to both Lalor and Mernda, both desperate to improve their record to 3-1 and take another step towards finals football in 2014.
Mernda and Lalor have enjoyed a solid rivalry since the Demons’ promotion to Division 2 last season, with their three games in 2013 all decided by under five goals.
Early on, it didn’t feel like the game would become an ugly, contested ball-dominated slog. The game began at a hot pace, with both sides trying to implement their game plan the quickest.
There seemed to be a pattern to much of the day – generally, Lalor would dominate, but failed to take their opportunities. Indeed, they kicked the first goal of the afternoon – Tim Murphy taking advantage of some great work from Lalor who took the ball from goal line to goal line.
Little did anyone at the ground at the time know that this goal would be Lalor’s only goal until the start of the last quarter, and one of only two for the afternoon for the Bloods.
Lalor had got its game into gear first, but couldn’t put it on the scoreboard, missing two more opportunities to put breathing space between themselves and the Demons. The second missed opportunity saw the Demons take it all the way to the other end of the ground, to which Andrew Smith answered for the Dees.
Mernda then enjoy its best period of the game as it began to take over in the middle and through Mitch Kerslake, took a lead it would not relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon.
Mernda’s seven-point quarter time advantage would be extended early in the second quarter. Smith took advantage of a smart centreing ball from Adrian Stefanile, snapping through his second goal.
When Dale Piggott lost his man and kicked a simple goal from 20 metres out, the lead was suddenly out to 20 points – a big lead as rain began to hit.
Further complicating matters – a power outage affected the ground which meant the siren was not able to be used. Lalor began to take back some momentum that Mernda had generated, but again – missed opportunities that would have taken them into half time in good stead. The margin was still only 17 points at the main break.
Despite these missed opportunities, Lalor started the stronger of the two sides in the second half, forcing Mernda to make some uncharacteristic errors coming out of defence.
The Bloods, however, were unable to put this dominance on the scoreboard, moving to 1.12 before Daniel Bryant drifted forward to kick an important goal against the run of play for the Demons.
The goal damaged Lalor’s morale for a little while as they began to lose their cool, to which Luke Shelton took advantage, extending Mernda’s lead to 26 points.
Dean Angelkoski finally broke Lalor’s goal-scoring drought to open the last quarter, snapping Lalor’s second goal. However, any hope of a miraculous come from behind victory in nasty conditions were quelled when Kerslake ran in and iced the game for Mernda with his second goal.
It would be the last goal of the game – the conditions turning the game into a hard slog with both teams seemingly playing for time.
Bryant was Mernda’s best for the afternoon, with his run and carry of critical importance for the Dees’ victory. Jack Bianchin collected possessions at will in the midfield, while Kerslake was also impressive in the 7.9 (51) to 2.17 (29) victory.
Tim Keily was Lalor’s best in the loss, while Jarrod King had a solid game for the Bloods, also collecting plenty of ball. However, it was not enough to get them over the line, leaving the Bloods at 2-2 ahead of a huge game at unbeaten rivals North Heidelberg.
Mernda, in the meantime, host Fitzroy Stars at Schotters Road in Round 5, another game of importance in the long run with both sides seemingly best positioned to compete for a top two spot early on.
Final score: Lalor 2.17 (29) def by Mernda 7.9 (51)
