The Courier |
IT WAS on for young and old at Linton on Saturday when Carngham-Linton and Creswick clashed in round four of the Central Highlands Football League.
CARNGHAM-LINTON 13.13 (91)
CRESWICK 13.8 (86)
With two wins each going into the match, it was a sure thing that it was going to end in tears for one side.
The Saints emerged five-point winners against the Wickers and showed a lot more discipline when the going got tough.
While some players were striving to get their hands on the ball, others just wanted to get their hands on each other.
The third term was particularly spiteful.
There were some sore bodies and sore heads after the final siren, and Wicker youngster Pierce Antonio was off to hospital with concussion.
Carngham-Linton held sway narrowly for the first half, with leads of 13 and 14 points at the breaks.
Creswick challenged in the third term to trail by eight points and put the frighteners on the Saints in the last by drawing to within five points and threatening to take the lead.
It was the late charge by Lachlan Griffiths, who goaled with less than a minute to go, that brought the Wickers to within five points. It was elation dashed by the siren a short time later.
It had looked like Saints forward Justin O'Brien had shut the door on the Wickers' advance halfway through the last quarter with two goals in a row.
But two majors within a minute from Michael Lockyer and Sam Gibson seemed to have Creswick on a roll.
The next push forward was cruelly repulsed by Saints captain and 200-gamer Tim Clarke, who was solid as a rock all day.
Mitch Giddings and 100-gamer Jack Savige stood tall, as did Nathan Pring for the Saints.
Up forward, O'Brien and Karson Guareschi, with four each, and Pring with three were on song for Carngham-Linton, showing the way for Tim Miller and Dean Henderson, who both kicked one major.
Creswick's stars shone bright. Caleb Hepworth, Michael Griffin, Pacian Netherway and Edward Coulthard were gutsy.
Carngham-Linton coach Jamie Briody saw the win as pivotal to the team's fortunes.
"We had to send a message. It was a do-or-die game for us to see whether we have improved or not," he said.
"We have proved we are doing something right.
"The boys stuck to their game plans. Creswick threw everything at us."
Creswick coach Len Watson said the Saints were a far better side on the day.
"But we hung in there, which was pleasing, but it was a disappointing game for us," Watson said.
"I thought that at no stage did we control the game ... we were second to the footy. It didn't represent in any way the way we like to play."
