Reservoir pulled off the upset of the round with a convincing 32-point win over Mernda at Waterview Reserve in Round 10 action of Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 football.
The Mustangs often appeared to have extra players on the ground due to their superior work-rate and their ability to find players in open space throughout the afternoon. Kicking into the breeze in the first term, Levi Greenwood led the way for the visitors. Their pressure stifled the efforts of the Demons who were endeavouring to make the most of their time with the wind.
Reservoir cashed in with the breeze in the second quarter. Their first major came from a race between Salvatore Mammone and his opponent which ended in the goal square and Mammone getting to the ball just before the goal line with the Mernda defender hot on his hammer.
Aaron Edwards kicked three majors for the term. The first was the easiest of goals after an opposing defender missed a mark and the ball went over the back into the goal square. From the next centre bounce, Josh Grabowski broke free and hid Edwards lace out directly in front. Captain Jack Sandric was finding plenty of it and earned himself a free for a good tackle. His pass somehow hit Edwards in space and Edwards kicked truly. It was the last score of the half to give the Mustangs a handy 27-point lead going into the sheds.
After a rev up from Mernda coach Brent Marshall, ruck Billy Morrison booted the ball out of the centre square to begin the third term and Lincoln Coffey marked it. But his shot from on fifty directly in front was slightly wide. In way, it summed up the day for the Demons as they struggled to capitalise on their opportunities.
Reservoir was again productive into the wind. Edwards, playing in front, marked for another goal. A few minutes later, Shannon McLeish executed the play of the day. His determination was an inspiration to his teammates.
Under pressure and running towards the forward fifty, his kick was meant to head towards Edwards but was well short and favoured the Mernda defender. But McLeish ran on, made a contest with the defender and kicked the ball on to Edwards, kickcing his sixth despite pressure from an opponent.
Later in the term James Sekulovski managed to find the big sticks for the Demons, but his team went into the last break 31-points adrift.
With the Mustangs having the scoring end in the final term, the task looked extremely difficult for the home side. Nonetheless, Marshall urged his team to drive the ball off half back, take the game on and to deny Reservoir easy marks from short kicks.
Like the third term, the early stages in the final quarter looked positive for the home side. They had a goal early on courtesy of Kyle Green. Although the Mustangs replied quickly via Nicholas Grabowski, Coffey soon had another for the home team. The deficit was still 26-points, but with a lot of time left on the clock.
The Demons had control of the game in general play. They formed a wall across half back and were continually pumping the ball inside fifty. Sadly for the loyal local fans, their total dominance in the middle stages of the quarter yielded five behinds.
Then, against the run of play, Reservoir broke through the barrier of Mernda defenders to allow Nicholas Grabowski to kick his second. Another goal to Mammone put the icing on the cake.
The Mustangs had won all four quarters. The Demons had control of the contest in the final term but kicked themselves out of any hope or a miraculous comeback.
Reservoir coach Joe Palazzolo said liked the work of Josh Grabowski in the middle for his ability to run out of the front of contests. He also lauded Kieran Robertson in defence and gave Shannon McLeish credit for his third term heroics.
“In my two years at the club, this was the best in terms of pressure and effort that I have seen,” Palazzolo said.
He also praised third-gamer Ashton Reid for his ability to keep his feet in contests. Reid also used the ball well when he got it. He gave a tick to ruck Jack Berry who battled it out with perhaps the best ruck duo in the league in Morrison and Coffey.
It was a tough day for Mernda fans who would’ve expected a win on the day. “We were caught off guard and ended up chasing tail all day. Reservior was bold and brave today,” Mernda assistant coach Erin Gebert said.
He noted that the team only played one good quarter which was the last when they won clearances and inside fifties clearly, albeit without hitting the big sticks with their opportunities. He liked the work of Chirs Roussis who got plenty of it through the midfield as well as Declan Felle in defence.
The Demons missed a chance to find themselves equal with Ivanhoe and Laurimar on top of the ladder. They remain in third spot on the table but are now just one win ahead of Watsonia.
The Mustangs remain fifth position on the ladder, but their win has kept the chasing pack at bay.
