Round 1 Match Report

VS SURREY PARK 29 APRIL 2007

After a long and intense pre-season, Fitzroy travelled to Surrey Park for the opening game of the season. Co-captains Rory Angiolella & Jesse Dimond led right from the start, winning plenty of ball around the packs however a congested forward line and poor kicking to position meant Fitzroy were unable to capitalise.

Michael Cussen started to be influential at centre half-forward using his sure hands to pull down some great marks and Alex Vella-Horne, after some strong work by Rory, kicked our first goal of the season. However Surrey Park responded quickly to leave us trailing by 3 points at quarter time.

An early second quarter goal resulting from a clever mark by Pete Kerr saw Fitzroy temporarily take the lead before Surrey Park through some fierce tackling and hard running, kicked two quick goals despite the best efforts of Jack Atkinson who was providing plenty of run from centre half back.

Whilst the tall Surrey Park ruckman was making life difficult at stoppages, Fitzroy continued to win plenty of the ball with Isaac Anderson, back at Fitzroy after a year away, and Sam Baker providing our forward line with plenty of opportunities of which Jesse Dimond took advantage to kick a fine running goal. Unfortunately, Surrey Park hit back quickly with a late goal to take an 11 point lead into half-time

Realising that they needed to lift, Fitzroy came out in the third quarter and dominated play early on however forwards getting caught behind combined with an absence of small crumbers and poor kicking for goal meant the team went unrewarded until Michael Cussen again marked strongly and kicked truly. Thomas Dudgeon continued to mark well a kick behind the play and the backline led by Dylan Temple and Jack remained resolute although a late opposition goal saw Fitzroy head to three quarter time facing an 8 point deficit with Surrey Park kicking to the scoring end in the final term.

With three months of hard training behind them, Fitzroy entered the last quarter confident they could overhaul Surrey Park. Rory and Jesse in the midfield attacked the ball ferociously whilst Nick Demelis was providing plenty of drive on the wing. A quick goal to Isaac, who was now playing full forward, put us within 2 points however Surrey Park hit back immediately with a goal of their own.

Will Johnson, Stiabhna Baker-Holland & Max Rogers kept things together on the full back line whilst Dylan, Jack and Sam Baker provided some vital rebound off half back. Fitzroy continued to push the ball forward and with Chris Polidoras lifting across half-forward, a goal square scramble ended with Nick Brown kicking a critical goal to again take us within a few points of Surrey Park. Fitzroy went forward again and a great individual effort saw Isaac kick his second goal for the quarter to put us in front for the first time since early in the second quarter.

Further thrusts into the Fitzroy forward line yielded two more behinds before level headed play from Stiabhna at full back and a strong mark by Rory repelled Surrey Park's final foray forward to ensure a gutsy and deserved 4 point win for Fitzroy.

We look forward to next week's game against our old rivals, St Mary's.

Go Roys

Michael

Score: Fitzroy 7.9.51 Surrey Park 6.11.47

Best Players: Atkinson, Cussen, Dimond, Anderson, Temple, Demelis, Baker

Goal kickers: Anderson 2, Vella-Horne, Dimond, Kerr, Brown, Cussen

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