NORTH Gambier staved off a sustained challenge from South Gambier in tough conditions on Saturday in the Western Border football Round 13 match at Blue Lake Sports Park.
The Tigers were under pressure from the outset in the bottom-of-the-table clash, kicking into a tough breeze, but were able to put four quarters of football together to claim the honours by a comfortable 29 points.
It was the Tigers’ ability to capitalise on their time with the wind, along with an impressive final term that made the difference in the end.
It also came from a solid effort up forward, with Fraser Marshall bagging three goals, while Glen Soper and Will Stafford contributed two each.
Assistant coach Beau Harris called the shots on the day, with the final result a big boost to the Tigers’ confident in what has been a tough season of football.
The Demons made use of the wind first and showed they had come to play, with hopes to climb out of the cellar at the end of the day.
In the opening stanza they banged on two goals, along with two behinds, but the Tigers also managed four shots on goal, with just four behinds the return.
Jake Schutz took the job on the dangerous Brayden Kain, with a solid one-on-one effort that limited the carnage across the four quarters.
North took advantage with the wind in the second term, holding South to just two minor scores, while adding three majors and a further three minors to claim the lead.
Sam Stafford was a major factor in the ruck, providing first use to the Tigers’ runners and backing up to move the ball himself.
But as was typical of the contest, the Demons responded after the long break, this time with an impressive five goals.
The burst put the home side up by a game-high 12 points, but with plenty to do in the final term, with the Tigers again kicking with the breeze.
North used that to good advantage and had the legs to run the game out, adding an impressive seven straight major scores to seal the game and move one game clear of South on the ladder.
Tim McInerney was impressive down back, helping to close down and Demons forward forays, while Schutz pushed Kain wide to limit his scoring opportunities, which resulted in just three majors for the gun forward.
For South Dion Stratford again held up well down back, but in the end the weight of North’s forward runs late in the game was a telling factor.
Marshall played a major role up forward for the Tigers, using his body well to claim several marks, with seven scoring shots for his three goals, while Mayson Ashby was let off the leash late in the third term, finding plenty of defensive runs forward to provide momentum heading into the final quarter.
Harris was pleased with the result, but more so with the intent of his players to lift and run the game out to claim the win.
“Our first quarter set us up really,” he said.
“We kicked into the wind and worked incredibly hard to limit their opportunities.
“We ended up kicking four behinds, but they didn’t get off the leash at all.”
Despite that early pressure Harris accepted his side could have done more with the wind when the chance presented.
However he said the resolve of the players to succeed paid off over the course of the game.
“It did take us a while to break the game open,” he said.
“We didn’t use the wind as well as we could have in the second quarter, but in the third quarter we held our nerve.
“It looked like they could break the game open, but as coaches we held our nerve and the players just kept at them.”
Harris said the coaching staff changed a few things around, with a bigger focus on rotations through the mid-field and longer kicks into the forward line.
That coupled with the work of Marshall ensured a defendable total on the board, with the game finally broken open in the last quarter.
“I think that shows the guys are a little fitter now than they were at the start of the year, but they really had a hunger to win that game and that was evident,” Harris said.
“Our mid-field was really good all day and we threw a few different people in their.
“Everyone did play their role and contribute.
“To break the game open in the last quarter was pleasing for the guys and hopefully that is something we can build on.”
