James Murphy
MILLICENT 10.7 (67) d WEST GAMBIER 7.13 (55)
IT was pencilled as the match of the round and it did not disappoint, with Millicent edging away to an 11-point win over West Gambier in Saturday’s top-of-the-table Western Border football contest.
The Saints enjoyed the home-ground advantage, but it was clear from the first bounce both teams meant business.
In breezy conditions, neither side gave an inch in the opening term and an early goal was enough to put the Roos in front at the first break.
The back sixes at both ends had already proven their worth by this point and it was no surprise to see Thomas Renzi and Jesse Pfitzner leading the defensive efforts.
The pair went on to be named best on ground for their respective teams in the hard-fought contest.
Scoring picked up in the second quarter and the Roos were able to keep their nose in front.
They added three-goals-four for the term, while Millicent found the big sticks once to be down by 20 points at half time.
After a slow start the Saints regrouped at the main break and shifted the momentum in the “premiership” quarter.
“We didn’t have the greatest of first halves,” Millicent coach Clint Gallio said.
“That was due to West playing some good footy and applying a lot of pressure.
“Wind, pressure, skill errors – it had a bit of everything.”
Gallio put the third-quarter turnaround to a couple of position changes and going back to basics.
“We put Frazer Bradley and Dylan Tincknell forward to give a few different looks up there,” he said.
“We just got back to some basic team principles and went harder at the footy and hard at the contest and worked harder both ways.
“That really showed and we got the game back on our terms.”
The Saints piled on seven goals during that time to West’s two and the hosts were up by seven points heading into the final stanza.
The momentum continued in the fourth and Millicent held the Roos at bay with two goals while the guests added one.
At the final siren the difference was 11 points and the Saints claimed top spot outright after the first full round of games.
Bradley’s shift forward paid off and he finished the day with five goals, while Sam Willis chimed in with a pair of majors.
Renzi was named as the Saints’ best and he led the backline with expertise.
“He took a few marks back there and his decision making and skills are really good,” Gallio said.
“He won a couple of vital one-on-one contests – it was probably the best game he has played at Millicent I reckon.”
Caleb Williams was also solid around the contest, while Sam Waring, Gallio and the Bradley brothers Frazer and Kade also stood out.
For West it was the tall duo of coach Daron McElroy and Braiden Ousey who combined for two goals each, while down the other end Pfitzner put in a trademark defensive performance.
He earned the best-on-ground honours, with Lewis Lean, Kyle Giddings and Jordan Williams also impressive.
The Roos will now look to bounce back against Casterton Sandford when they hit the road again for Round 6, while Millicent hosts East Gambier for a game which should keep its winning ways intact.
