IN a game that never displayed a consistent clean standard of football skills or fluent ball transition a jubilant West Gambier broke an eight-game losing streak to snatch its second win for the Western Border football season by one point over South Gambier at Blue Lake Sports Park.
At the 22-minute mark of the final term after scores had been locked together for some seven minutes of hectic play, Kangaroo rookie Lachie Jones slammed the ball on his boot to post the winning point.
In the following final minute of play South forced the ball forward from the kick-out, but were held up by the safe mark of West’s Abdullah Kumara on the clubroom wing.
His penetrating kick down the line was safely marked by promising Demon youngster Mason Hein so this presented the home side with one last “throw of the dice”.
Hein’s kick sailed up field to a congested marking contest with the ball spilling into the waiting hands of Demon youngster Kaleb Bowd who promptly scooted towards the 50 metre arc, but the siren sounded to destroy his teams hopes of victory.
The scenes in the packed Kangaroos change rooms post game reflected the joy and relief of the clubs faithful supporters who revelled in the boisterous singing of the club song for the first time since Round 5 back in May.
It was fitting that Wests’ “joeys” who all played their role in the hard fought ground out victory took centre stage inside the celebration circle to cop the obligatory shower from their older teammates.
Each team, which are in a personnel development phase looking to future seasons, featured four (South) and five (West) promising senior colts respectively along with many other players still adapting to the rigours and challenges of senior level football.
In the first quarter West produced many promising forward 50 entries against the gusty wind orchestrated by the input of Todd Lewis, Joe Ferguson-Lane, Tom Zeitz and Lewis Lean, but only enjoyed a one-point lead at the break.
The second term even though not exhibiting copybook football skills saw both camps battle desperately for possession and featured forward marking and long kicking cameos from opposites Jack Capewell and Steve Wenman which netted them two goals each.
After the half time break play see-sawed between respective defensive zones with Demon Brad Bryant continuing to emerging as the standout contributor arena wide.
West missed two regulation major scoring opportunities during this period which would have given them game control considering the evenness and low prevailing score line.
With only one point separating the contestants and a victory “up for grabs” the tempo and intensity of play lifted significantly from the commencement of the final stanza.
After South posted an early point Kangaroos coach Wenman again presented as the safe forward target with two rapid consecutive full point strikes rocketing his team to a game high ten-point buffer.
Soon after previously unsighted Demon Brayden Kain snapped accurately to bridge the gap to four points then after a further five minutes of frenetic play team mate Bryant ran the ball into the scoring zone to hammer home another full pointer.
In the next two minutes the Kangaroo’s urgently forced play forward and a quick pack kick registered a point then sharpshooter Josh Schapel was rewarded for a perfect tackle but missed the big opening to level the scores.
The remaining minutes played out in the same frantic scramble for possession with rolling packs restricting ball control forward until Kangaroo Jones slotted that match winning point.
“Whilst it perhaps wasn’t a great spectacle, it certainly was a great contest with two very young sides learning their trade,” said disappointed South coach Heath Mitchell.
“Credit to the West boys as they held in for longer in a game that came down to not just the final minutes, but seconds – for our boys it’s another tough lesson in a season where each week presents enormous challenges.”
An ecstatic Kangaroos coach Steve Wenman said that it was a really tough fought out game for a dead rubber with both teams not playing for much as far as season standings are concerned.
“If you watched the games individual efforts and contests you knew the win meant a fair bit for both teams and I think you saw a glimpse into the next four to five years as far as kids coming through to senior footy,” he said.
“Great first quarter from us into the wind having plenty of forward 50 play but not being able to capitalize the second quarter with the wind slightly to one end but more across the ground we probably took control of the first half of the quarter but we lapsed and South out played us heading into the half time break.
“Brad Bryant was running rampant and doing as he pleased with Jack Capewell looking very dangerous up forward.
“The second half was much of the same very even footy with both teams taking it up to each other and it was a tough physical game with plenty of contested ball being won by both teams but we felt that we got on top in the clearances and were able to get it forward to one on one contest in our 50 a lot quicker which resulted in goals.”
He said the win was reward for what had been a long season and praised the performances of lone ruckman Lewis, rebounding defender Lean and 16-year-olds Reid Kuller and Lachie Jones under pressure.
West host a rampaging Casterton/Sandford next round while South head to McDonald Park to tackle a back in form East.
