HAMPTON PARK fielded its best side for many weeks against Berwick on Saturday, but was forced to work hard to notch up a 30-point win in tough conditions.

The Robert Booth Reserve mud did the game no favours but, as so often happens in adversity, the cream of both sides rose to the top with Redbacks Sheldon Fredericks and Kerem Baskaya, joining Berwick recruit Ben AhMat as the day’s eye-catchers.

The Wickers hit the ground running and booted away to a 20-point lead at the first change with AhMat starring in attack and beanpole ruckman Tim Joustra giving his teammates first use of the ball.

After a not-so-gentle reminder that there was a game of football to be won from coach Jason Chapple, the Redbacks responded with five unanswered second-quarter goals to restore their pride and lead by 18 points at the main break.

Again Berwick dug deep, kicking to the scoring end in the third term, and moved to within eight points before the home side steadied through the efforts of Baskaya (who booted 7.6 for the day) in the final term, and came away to record a solid victory.

The only downside for Chapple was a hamstring injury to key forward Matt Shorey, but overall he was pleased with the result.

“They were good early and we were caught in the headlights, but we worked our way back and it ended up being a good win,” he said.

“I had to get them back on the game and at half-time we went out the back and did our warm-ups again. I just told them if they weren’t switched on they could start again. The side responded in the second half and I was pleased with that.”

Berwick is no longer the easy-beats that began the year as an unfit rabble and with a good mix of youth and experience at his call, coach Ronnie Burns, who was his side’s only casualty with an injured groin, was positive after the hitout.

“We had our opportunities, but it was broken tackles that cost us in the end,” he said.

“We aim to have at least 60 tackles per match and we only had 42 on Saturday and Hampton Park got a few easy goals after breaking our tackles.

“If we make them stick and we get a few more goals, well there’s the difference.

“I was proud of the way the boys put it to Hampton Park because they’re a hard team to beat at their home ground. The young blokes are really learning and they really want to win games of footy now.”



Burra blocked by ROC

KEYSBOROUGH forwards were frustrated by ROC’s defensive tactics for three quarters on Saturday, before breaking free in the final term and recording a 33-point home victory.

The Burra entered the clash as raging hot favourites, but struggled to shake off its less talented, but determined, opponent that positioned up to eight players behind the centre in an effort to block up Keysborough’s powerful forwards.

The ploy took the Burras by surprise early and that, together with a wet second term with the wind, caused the home side to struggle in its efforts to play its free-scoring game in the first half, with scores tied at 23 points apiece at half-time.

Star Burra spearhead Luke McGuinness (arm) and young forward Tyson King (ankle) were both sidelined and Burra coach Greg Siwes had his concerns at the long break.

ROC persisted with the tactics after the main break, but as players started to tire, the game opened up and Keysborough battled to a seven-point lead at three-quarter time, before McGuinness returned to the field to lead his side to a five-goal win in the last quarter.

Goalsneak Warrick Hanks joined McGuinness as the Burra’s leading scorers with four majors each, while lanky Kangaroo forward Darren DeJong booted five of his side’s eight goals in a lone stand in attack.

Siwes was disappointed with ROC’s negativity and said that it spoiled the game as a spectacle.

“They bottled it up. We tried to isolate them, but you can’t do that at Keysborough and it was just a scrap,” he said.

“I don’t know if they thought they could win the game doing that or whether they were just trying not to get thumped. They stuck to it and they certainly restricted our scoring but they couldn’t keep doing it all day.

“We had to play different football but when we got going it was alright and I was still happy that we got away with the win,” he said.

Siwes added that he expected McGuinness to play against Berwick this week but was unsure about King.



’Pies too slick for Cranny

NARRE WARREN did what was expected and downed the emerging young Cranbourne side by 41 points at Fox Road, but the game could have been much closer had the visitors been on target.

Cranbourne booted 16 behinds to go with its six goals and had only one less scoring shot than the Magpies.

Despite the loss, Cranbourne scored two minor wins with key defenders Leigh Holt and Matthew Rus keeping Narre Warren goal machines Lee Clark and Brett Evans to two and three goals for the day respectively.

It was the second term that told the story of the day.

After the Magpies had kicked away to a 20-point lead at quarter-time, the young Eagles lifted their game to keep the home side to only one behind in the second term, but squandered their own scoring opportunities to kick 1.8 for the term.

That was all the reigning premiers needed and they came out and slammed on six unanswered goals in the third quarter to effectively ice the result and teach their inexperienced opponents that they must not waste opportunities.

The Magpie midfield of Ricky Clark, Brendan Kimber, Michael Collins and Daniel Field dominated again, while Cranbourne’s best included Holt, Aaron Pike, Ryan Davey and Stuart Morrish.

Cranbourne coach Brett McMaster was disappointed, but acknowledged that his team had met one of the best teams in the business.

“Even if we hadn’t won it, the result would have been a lot closer had we kicked straight early,” he said.

“We could have easily gone in (at half-time) three or four goals up and they would have had to chase us. We just didn’t put pressure on them when we had to. They’re a good side and you need to do that.

“We’ve got the ability to pressure sides and that’s pleasing. They stepped it up after half-time and they are a very good side. You can’t give a side like Narre Warren a break.”