The initial opening was not as planned and our opposition scored their first goal at the 50 second mark of the game with a direct entry to their full forward from a contested ball on the wing. Following more contested football for the following minutes, an undisciplined act created the second goal opportunity for the MHSOB full forward who goaled at the two and a half minute mark. The next ten minutes became an arm wrestle before we finally scored a behind but the opposition were playing confidently and we were continually turning it over. With MHSOB goaling three more times and the score 5.3 to our 6 behinds at the first break we were clearly in some trouble but it was not an insurmountable challenge. Missing set shots had robbed us of a more competitive score-line.

The were encouraging signs with some desperation in defence early in the second quarter avoiding more pain before Phil Zarra goaled after Ben Carboni and Darcy Daly set up the opportunity. Desperately trying to peg back the difference, Sam Wood brilliantly ran down an opposition player and Carbs was able to present Jason May with a chance, which he took, and we were making gradual headway. In a really tight struggle for the remainder of the quarter, we had at least reduced the margin to 2.7 to 5.6 at half time.

When Chris Game, Carbs and Tom Sundberg worked together, Mark Liddell was on the receiving end and brilliantly side stepped to kick our third goal one and a half minutes into the third term. Mark Nelson had been working his heart out against the highly rated opposition ruckman and smartly handed off to Tom Sundberg at the four minute mark for our fourth goal and we were staring to simulate or match plan with effect. It then became a battle royal with no goals forthcoming until Melbourne High steadied at the nineteen minute mark for their sixth goal. Chris May’s short pass to Andy Lawson a few minutes later brought us back into it as Andy goaled but two more goals to MHSOB turned the tide their way again. Andy Lawson was again in the thick of things and Delly got it to Mark Nelson for our sixth goal to bring us back to within two goals into time-on. In critical passages of play, the opposition added two more majors and it was four goals the difference at the final turn.

It had to be a full on attack and for the first 10 minutes or so both sides fought hard for no real reward on the scoreboard. At the eleven minute mark a mortal blow was struck with Melbourne High’s eleventh goal  and the deficit was looking decidedly distant. Despite some hard work for the boys, nothing was going to plan and in the final ten minutes we let through four more goals to make the finals score 15.11 to 6.11, by far our worst four quarters for the season and at such a critical time.

Following the excellent win by the reserves the following day, in their come from behind win, spirits were heightened and players obviously keen to be considered for elevation next week. We have some considerations facing us during this week and this young group will have the chance to  prove that they have learnt much, not only from last Saturday, when they take on Oakleigh this coming week at Sandringham. There is no turning back and if we are good enough we will make a courageous and inspiring entry into B Section for 2010. We will have the advantage of the Reserves playing for their Grand final rights before us.

Goals – Zarra, J May, Liddell, T Sundberg, Lawson, Nelson