Border Mail |
ALBURY withstood a late surge from a resurgent Wangaratta Rovers to scrape home by two points at W.J. Findlay Oval on Saturday.
The Tigers were seemingly home against the Hawks when they led by 23 points in the final quarter after Josh Maher was left alone inside 50 metres and booted his fourth goal of the match.
But, as they had done from the outset, the Hawks hung tough in a major form reversal from their dismal showing against Lavington a week ago.
They kicked three late goals to be left with 22 seconds on the clock to pinch an upset win.
But the Tigers prevailed in a performance that left more questions than answers on both teams fortunes for the rest of the season.
Livewire Daniel McCullough was a headache for the Tigers and booted two of the Hawks’ last three goals to finish with five for the game.
Veteran Ross Hill kicked the other from a free kick.
But the Hawks were left to ponder what if after speedster Ash Pollard narrowly missed a set shot and Ryan Stone had a goal disallowed after his team tried to take advantage of a 50 metre penalty further up the ground.
Both teams endured their share of injury concerns, beginning with Kyle Raven limping from the ground for the Hawks in the first term.
Teammate Ryan Cobain joined him on the sidelines when he suffered a suspected broken foot in the second quarter.
The Tigers’ fans had cause for concern when reigning Morris medallist Joel Mackie limped from the ground in the third quarter.
Mackie has had a delayed start to the season due to a stress fracture in his foot and looked in a world of pain when he hobbled off with a suspected recurrence of the injury.
He returned to the field in the last quarter and was plonked at full-forward, but had no further impact.
Luke Daly was also nursing a badly corked thigh.
The two teams had to contend with a four to five-goal breeze favouring the Barr Reserve end of the ground.
Albury had first use, but only led by 15 points at the first change due to a far more committed Hawks’ outfit.
Wangaratta Rovers made their move in the second term to outscore the Tigers 6.3 to 3.3 to take a half-time lead.
McCullough, who had played as a spare man in defence in the first term, ignited the Hawks with three goals and Jamie Sheahan, Sam Caruso, Sean O’Keeffe and Karl Norman took the upperhand in the middle.
Key defenders, Tyson Hartwig and Hayden Lowe, were also instrumental in blanketing the Tigers’ tall forwards and Dale Martin waged a great battle on the wing with Albury speedster Lonnie Hampton.
Albury regained the ascendancy in the third quarter with the breeze at its back.
The Tigers made a statement of intent when its two best players, Dean Polo and co-coach Chris Hyde, began the term in the second square with Mackie.
Albury kicked three goals in eight minutes and threatened to blow the game open.
Josh Maher, who has an uncanny knack of kicking goals at crucial stages, booted two goals in the quarter including a dribbler that put the Tigers 23 points up.
But with five seconds left in the quarter Stone kicked a goal to keep the Hawks alive.
Wangaratta Rovers’ improved effort from the Panther debacle was reflected on the stats sheet.
They won the tackle count 57-43 against one of the most physical teams in the competition, had an edge in the centre clearances 17-11 and enjoyed a slight advantage in the stoppages, 27-25.
The Hawks also enjoyed a decisive edge in the hitouts 55-34.
Tigers co-coach Chris Hyde was relieved to escape with a win.
“Rovers at Rovers are tough no matter where they are on the ladder,” he said.
“After last week they would have been disappointed with their effort and would have thrown everything at us and they did.
“To get the four points was very pleasing.”
Hawks coach Mick Caruso said his team had learned its lessons from the Lavington loss.
“To come up against Albury and come up two points down is a much improved effort,” he said.
“At quarter-time I was exceptionally pleased with our effort.”
