EAST Gambier has made steps in the right direction as it turns its focus to Western Border Football League finals.
The reigning premiers finished the minor rounds on a good note, defeating North Gambier at Vansittart Park on Saturday.
While it was a tough three-quarter slog in difficult conditions, the Bulldogs managed to step up in the final stanza to run out convincing winners.
East coach Matt Willson said the contest was an arm-wrestle, but he was pleased with the way his side finished off the match.
North failed to make the most of its opportunities in front of goal in the opening term, which handed the Bulldogs an early advantage.
East had the same scoring opportunities as the Tigers, but managed to take a 10-point lead into the second term.
The Bulldogs made little mistakes in its forward 50, kicking 3.1 as opposed to North’s 1.3.
Willson said the opening quarter was a tight contest, despite East holding the lead.
“I think we were probably a little bit shaky to start with, really I think the scoreboard flattered us a little bit,” he said.
“North probably had most of the play in that first quarter and they were beating us around the contest, but when we did move it, we moved it really well and that resulted in a few goals in that first quarter to give us a little bit of a lead.”
East’s ball movement was a factor of the game Willson was impressed with, but as the Bulldogs face the business end of the season, the playing coach said several aspects need to improve.
“When we did have the ball we were able to move it well, which was good, but I guess just lack of options and lack of opportunity was the reason we did not have as big of a lead as we would have liked to,” he said.
A slight breeze favoured the netball end of the ground, which North kicked with in the second quarter.
The Tigers again dominated around the contest, but this time made the most of their opportunities inside their forward 50.
Four straight goals was the result for North, but East was able to fight its way back into the contest and post 4.2 to extend its lead by a mere two points.
Again, little separated the two sides in the third quarter.
Fraser Marshall worked hard to win the contested ball, while Sam Stafford stood tall in the ruck and had an impact around the ground.
Backmen Jake Schutz and Tim McInerney were doing their best to stop any forward thrusts from East.
However, the Bulldogs also had their fair share of contributors.
John Forster and Josh Ransom were exceptional through the mid field, while Jayden Eldridge and Brad Rathjen were winning their fair share of the football.
The difference at the final break was 15 points, but with its finals campaign set to start this weekend, Willson had high expectations of his side’s fourth quarter.
“You have five minutes of a lapse in Western Border and teams make you pay, North regardless of where they have finished this year, they can play some really good footy, so that hurt us a little bit in the first three quarters,” he said.
“Obviously the conditions were not ideal for footy, but it was a really good contest probably right up until three-quarter-time, I thought.”
After what were described as several “incidences” at the three-quarter-time break, Willson said he was pleased with the way the Bulldogs turned their focus to winning the match.
“There were a couple of incidences at three-quarter-time that I was really disappointed in,” he said.
“But, I was really happy with the way we responded in the last quarter and continued to focus on the football.
“It shows the maturity of our group, which I was really happy with.”
East ran away with the match, adding three goals, while holding North to just one in the final stanza.
The difference at the siren was 29 points, a deficit Willson was happy with as East approach a tough game against West Gambier in the cut-throat elimination final at Island Park this weekend.
Willson said the “usual suspects” were good over four quarters, but he was most pleased with Forster.
“I was really happy with John Forster,” he said.
“He has been in really good form lately and continues to win the footy around the contest for us.
“He went forward and hit the scoreboard well as well this week, which was really pleasing.
“I thought Mark Rumbelow was really good again, but as was Mark Kieselbach and Jayden Eldridge.”
Approaching this weekend’s elimination final against the Roos, Willson said his side will focus on the task at hand and keep it simple.
“For us it is business as usual,” he said.
“We will continue to tick the boxes during the week and prepare for the weekend.”
