The Courier |
HEPBURN has snatched an upset win to claim the Central Highlands Football League senior premiership.
The Burras captured a nine-point victory against Buninyong, fighting back from an 11-point deficit at the final break at Eureka Stadium this afternoon.
Burras star Andy McKay reminded fans why he is a big-game player, leading the charge with his exciting high-flying, fast-paced brand of football to win the best on ground medal.
This is the Burras' first premiership since 2010.
The result leaves Buninyong ruing two consecutive grand final defeats and its devastation was evident as players and supporters gathered - beaten and bereft of glory again - on the ground post-match.
Buninyong was forced to fight one man down when key Bomber Mark Phelps was sent from the ground with a red card for head-butting Burra Alan Ware in the second term.
The incident occurred at the 18-minute mark of the quarter. Phelps was forced to pull on the jacket and merely watch from the bench in the second half as the Bombers were left with just three men on the interchange.
They seemed to maintain an edge but when it came to the crunch, the Burras were hungrier for glory.
Hepburn dominated the early stages of last term, pouring on the pressure right from the first ball-up.
The Burras kicked the first four goals of the quarter - taking a 15-point lead - before majors to Bombers Ned Gilbert and Adam Scott pegged back the margin to two points.
But the Hepburn boys held firm, with Lee Cox booting his fifth goal from a misguided kick-in to seal a historic victory shortly before the final siren.
HEPBURN 4.1 9.2 11.7 16.10 (106)
BUNINYONG 4.610.9 12.12 14.13 (97)
GOALS - HEPBURN: L. Cox 5, A. McKay 4, M. Mc Kay 2, J. Rodgers 2, T. Johnson , D. O'Halloran , T. Conroy.
BUNINYONG: N. Gilbert 3, G. Phelps 3, M. Phelps 2, J. Gilbert , A. Scott , T. Porter , J. Rodgers.
BEST - HEPBURN: T. Johnson, A. McKay, D. Rees, D. Smith, M. Mc Kay, L. Cox.
BUNINYONG: M. McKenzie, J. Orwin, J. Gilbert, N. Gilbert, G. Phelps, A. Ebery.
