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Harcour scores wet weather finals win over Maldon

HARCOURT booked a berth in this Saturday’s Bendigo Bank Maryborough-Castlemaine District League second semi-final with an all-the-way win over Maldon in a damp qualifying final.

Adapting better to the constant rain and slippery conditions at Maryborough’s Princes Park the Lions had more scoring options in attack.

Maldon did fight back with an enterprising third quarter which yielded five, straight goals but Harcourt saw off the challenge on the way to a 12.12 (84) to 7.6 (48) victory.

Lions’ skipper Chris Stone booted four goals to take his 2008 tally to 103 and got the 100-goal milestone out of the way late in the second quarter.

His shots on goal in the first quarter at the scoreboard end didn’t find the target despite the efforts of Dayne and Reece Carmichael and Matt Giri to spot Stone up.

Harcourt bounced out to a 14-point lead by the first change. Giri and Craig Browne-Kerr scored majors as Jarrod Trethowan, Aaron Bell and Tyson Martin shut down Maldon’s forwards.

Things looked even bleaker for the Dons in the second term with the rain continuing to tumble down and Harcourt adding another four goals.

Lions’ centre half-forward Michael Blake snapped a clever major at the town end. Waiting at the back of a boundary line pack, Blake collected the ball and screwed a shot home around his body.

Maldon broke its goal drought when Marc Carroll booted truly on the run yet the Dons still trailed by 32 points at the main break.

Maldon coach Mark Waterson rang the changes for the third term. Key defender Wayne Burchell was moved into the front half, sparked the Dons’ revival and kicked his club’s fifth goal of the quarter in time-on.

Poor decision making and lack of discipline cost Harcourt in this term. Jack Fowler’s free kick was marked in the goal square by Justin Mazur for Maldon’s second goal.

A 50m penalty allowed Carroll to boot his second. When Dons’ vice-captain Kris Lea nailed a running shot and then got his second major moments later courtesy of two, consecutive 50m penalties the Lions’ advantage had suddenly been trimmed to 15 points: 7.7 (49) to 5.4 (34).

Reece Carmichael restored the Lions’ equilibrium with a long shot from the grandstand half-forward flank, scoreboard end, allowing Harcourt to take a 15-point margin into the last change.

Harcourt coach Sean Smith fired up his charges for a last quarter assault. The Lions added 4.5 (with skipper Stone booting two goals to give him four) while Maldon managed only 1.2.

Josh Hutchinson and Aaron Bell kept the ball moving into attack as darkness moved in on Princes Park. A late reply from David Carroll was Maldon’s only answer in the gloom.

Looking ahead to the second semi-final, Lions’ coach Sean Smith said the smallest margin possible had separated Harcourt and Carisbrook last time the two clubs had met, in Round 18.

“There was just one point in it three weeks ago so we’re very confident,” Smith said.

“Today we got a good start which was essential in the wet conditions. Even though we had a lapse (in concentration) in the third quarter we finished off well.

“We reckon we’ve still got room for improvement left in us.”

The Dons’ Mark Waterson said his players were guilty of attempting to play dry weather footy on a wet afternoon in the first half.

“We did try and get in one handball too many at the start which turned the footy over too much,” he said.”

“Still, we did manage to turn things around in the third quarter. For next week’s first semi, we’ll just have to regain our confidence – getting the ball and running the ball, again,” Waterson said.

“If the forecast is for another wet day we may well have to change the selection (process) around. We’re a very tall side,” the coach added.

HARCOURT    2.4      6.6        8.7          12.12 (84)
MALDON        0.2      1.4        6.4            7.6    (48)

GOALS – Harcourt: Chris Stone 4, Matt Giri 2, Craig Browne-Kerr, Paul Chaplin, Sean Smith, Michael Blake, Reece Carmichael, Dallas Ferguson. Maldon: Kris Lea 2, Marc Carroll 2, Wayne Burchell, Justin Mazur, David Carroll.

BEST – Harcourt: Matt Giri, Dayne Carmichael, Aaron Bell, Paul Chaplin, Josh Hutchinson, Noel Brasser, Tyson Martin. Maldon: Jonathan Pitts, Craig Kelly, Xavier Teasdale, Liam Crapper, Jack Fowler, Rhys Crapper.

By Richard Jones

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