Shepp News |
It was an all too familiar story for Echuca on Saturday when it lost away to Mansfield, 18.14 (122) to 12.14 (86).
The final score — which was the Murray Bombers’ highest of the season — was not enough to end the team’s worst streak of losses (nine) in the past 10 years.
The team showed effort throughout the match and even dominated the last quarter but was unable to make the most of it on the scoreboard.
Simon Buckley continued his superb recent form to gather 30 touches for the match, while Matt Pollock was inspirational at times, kicking three goals to go with his 24 disposals.
Tom Stevens had one of his better games for the Murray Bombers as he regains full fitness, while George Preston curbed the influence of 200-gamer Matt Storer and Sean Morris tackled fiercely in what was described by Echuca coach Cameron Stewart as an ‘‘outstanding month’’.
Ruckman Josh Edgar, in his 50th game for Echuca, tried hard throughout the day, as did Jordan Florance, Sam Devlin, defender Trent Castles and Tom Monahan, while Matt Hay did well against Josh Fraser after quarter-time.
‘‘He is still at school, playing on an AFL veteran, and we’ve given him free ball use,’’ Stewart said.
‘‘When that stopped, Matty played on him and beat him.’’
Rhys Archard improved after quarter-time playing in the back line and Nick Jackson had his biggest haul of the year with three majors.
The game could not have started much worse for the visitors as Mansfield kicked three goals in the first five minutes.
Echuca tried to respond but the Eagles kept coming, and by quarter-time, led 46-18 with Fraser having booted three goals.
The Murray Bombers attempted a bit of a comeback in the second term with Pollock leading the way as the team kicked five goals to three and Buckley had racked up almost 20 touches to half-time.
It gave Echuca some cause for hope in the second half, but the Eagles quickly accelerated away with five goals in the first 15 minutes, before two Lachy Stewart goals in two minutes saw the visitors within six goals at the final change.
The last quarter was a battle for a while as Echuca refused to lay down, but Mansfield always seemed to have someone loose and running past.
‘‘It was a more even performance ... but once again we’d identified that we have to get first use of the footy, win our share of clearances and limit the supply into Josh Fraser,’’ Stewart said.
‘‘We couldn’t do any of the three. It was 11 shots to three in the first quarter.
‘‘It was frustrating and disappointing. At this stage we just can’t carry out instructions.
‘‘In saying that, we spoke about it at quarter-time and were able to get back in the game.’’
The team was reasonably happy with its position at the long break, but the team then made the same mistakes as the first quarter, Stewart said.
‘‘We finished off the quarter quite strongly, but we just can’t give sides starts, playing catch-up all the time,’’ he said.
‘‘We are really letting ourselves and our teammates down.
‘‘Until we have 21 contributors prepared to care about each other and do everything conceivably right, if we can turn that around, we can start winning games of footy.’’
Florance kicked both his goals in the last term, but all hope was lost when Nick Jackson received a yellow card, for allegedly abusing a boundary umpire and the matter has been referred to the tribunal.
Adding to the team’s injury woes, Jordy Ives suffered an Achilles injury and Terry Reeves had a corky early on.
