Dragons hang on in second encounter with Eastern

 

On a cold early morning in Sandringham, the tenth game of the Dragons campaign saw them take on the Eastern Ranges for the second time this season. This time as the away team after hosting them earlier in April at RSEA Park. The first two scores of the game were both behinds to Sandringham with one being kicked by Lachlan Voss, who was utilised in the forward line this week. Due to the slippery conditions at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, it was hard for both teams to put some damage on the scoreboard. With just one goal being scored in the opening term, that went to mobile forward Max Hoult. Who went back and slotted the major after receiving a downfield free kick in the twelfth minute. Both Luke Kennedy (15 disposals, 4 tackles) and Samuel Linder (19 disposals, 7 marks) were important early on, with Kennedy providing a couple of handy touches in the front half and Linder being a brick wall in defence. Despite Sandringham being on top in the coalface, Eastern weren’t without their chances. Having missed two convertible set shots in the term. In the number #9 guernsey, Rory Wright was impressive playing in the backline. The low-scoring tussle continued to play out for the rest of the quarter with Sandringham holding a seven-point advantage at the first break. Having the second and fourth most touches respectively in the game, Ned Maginness (25 disposals, 6 marks) and Mitch Kirkwood-Scott (23 disposals, 5 marks) got busy in the second. The father-son prospect used both his height and elite running ability to his advantage, while Kirkwood-Scott accumulated all over the ground. With co-captain Brodie Findlay out of the side, Miles Tyrer picked up the slack in the ruck department. The sixteen-year-old was physical in the ball-ups, and agile in the contest, finishing with 27 hit outs, twelve disposals and three tackles. Some unfortunate deja vu for the Ranges with Hoult being paid another downfield free kick resulting in a major. His second of the game, and the only two of the match seven minutes into the second. There were an array of players running through the centre bounce rotation for Sandringham with many first-choice midfielders away on other duties. The mix included Maginness, Kennedy, Kirkwood-Scott, Jhett Haeata, Fletcher Teelow, and Riely Collins. Even with zero goals to their name, Eastern were still well in the game. It was a relatively balanced territory battle, and clearance contest. And they finally got on the board in the fourteenth minute of this term before adding two more inside the next six minutes to swing momentum their way. A strong finish to the first half by the visitors, winning the term three goals to one to lead by seven points two quarters down.

 

The response from the Dragons came instantly in the second half, booting five goals to zero in the term to get the game back on their terms. It was a fast start with Collins goaling after some scramble play that started at halfback. Linder had a strong opening five minutes while Angus Bowd (12 disposals, 3 tackles) moved dangerously in the forward half, and earned some reward by snapping home a goal from twenty out. Wingman Jack Dalton (13 disposals) also got in on the action by kicking truly from the boundary, an impressive finish on a tough angle. The bottom-ager was hard working all-day on both sides of the ball, sticking seven tackles. Hoult found his third of the match which saw the lead swell out to eighteen points before a Benjamin Seers mark inside fifty and conversion made it five in the quarter for the blue and maroon. A couple of scoring shots went to Eastern during the latter stages of the term however it was still a serviceable twenty-two-point lead to the Dragons at the final change. Kicking towards the northern end in the last, the Ranges were threatening to get back in the game. With multiple inside 50’s and a mountain of possession of the football, although they couldn’t quite capitalise on the scoreboard. It took until the ninth minute before any major was scored, with Eastern knocking the lead down to fourteen points. Teelow added some much-needed spark with the opposition on the charge and as a result Collins found Voss on an angle which would’ve just about put the game away. However, a rushed behind was the outcome. Eastern would then go up the other end to kick the next major and get within ten points at the twenty-second minute. Before slotting another a minute later, slimming the margin to under one straight kick with just a couple of minutes remaining. Although an intercept mark by a Sandringham defender on the siren sealed a 6.9 (45) to 7.7 (49) victory for the Dragons despite being held goalless in the last term. Next week’s challenge sees them take on the Northern Knights at Genis Steel Oval on Saturday.

 

GOALS: Hoult 3, Bowd, Collins, Seers, Dalton

BEST: Maginness, Dalton, Linder, Kirkwood-Scott, Collins, Pecer