Under 11-1 - Match ReportSt Damians 0.2 1.2 3.4 3.4 22 |
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Fitzroy won the toss and kicked to the western end in the first quarter. Behinds were registered early by both St Damians and Fitzroy. The boys had control for much of the quarter: Chas was influential in ruck, Eddie was dominating at centre half forward, Isaac was repeatedly bombing to the hot spot, where Noah was flying; but apart from a behind to Noah there was no cigar. Finally Isaac picked up from a contest on the wing, delivered to George, who found Sapphire, who converted. Ben had a run in the ruck in the second term, consistently out-leapt his opponent, and followed the ball around the ground. Charles foiled a forward move by St Damians with a tackle that was rewarded. St Damians showed how to exploit the configuration of the ground by carrying the ball down the flank to goal. This seemed to spark Fitzroy. From a free for in the back George kicked into the path of Leon, who delivered to Eddie, who goaled. Then Ben tapped the ball to Declan, who handballed to Eddie, whose kick found Isaac for a major. Sadly, Declan who was collected front on, with his head over the ball, was not compensated. Aiden who had come off the bench, initiated a chain of passes to Sapphire, Isaac, Eddie and thence to Noah who threaded the ball through from an angle. With a three goals to one quarter Fitzroy appeared to have taken control of the game. St Damians had clearly been fired up at half time, for within a minute of resuming they had registered a goal. For much of the quarter it was a contest between St Damians’ forwards and the Fitzroy defense. Another St Damians’ goal resulted from a failure to clear. However the defense handled better two further forward thrusts by St Damians, with rushed behinds. Late in the quarter promising forward moves by Fitzroy only amounted to behinds to Eddie and Rushed. With a margin whittled down to 7 points Fitzroy’s season was on the line! At the final break the coach implored the boys to win their most important quarter of the season. Early in the last quarter Ben goaled from a chain of passes initiated by a Chas mark and kick to Ben, who delivered to the hot spot, where Noah picked up and handballed away from the goals to Ben, who had followed on into the scoring zone. A dangerous entry by St Damians was repulsed by a great clearance by Andrej on the last line. Noah again set up a goal when he handballed to Otis, whose kick was marked and converted by Harry H. The contrast with the preceding quarter was stark as this time it was Fitzroy that wanted the ball most. Finally Harry J. initiated another forward move that lead to a free kick to Ben. For the third time in 4 weeks we appeared to have been stiffed when the signaling of the resulting goal was over-ruled by the field umpire. The boys had shown great resolve to eke out a fighting victory against a physical opponent. Later in the day came the welcome news that their finals aspirations where back on course courtesy of victory by Greythorn over Park Orchards, by a one point! An away game against Glen Iris is what now stands between the boys and their first finals campaign. Go Roys! “Chicken Smallhorn” (the ghost of Fitzroy past)
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The U11 Browns journeyed from the close comfort of home to the wide expanses of Binnak Park to take on St Damians. Gus, Sapphire and Leon were captains for the day.
