James Wall, one of the Scorpions best. |
The Casey Scorpions steadied their season after three straight losses with a spirited 36-point win over Frankston in their Round 18 VFL clash at Kars St on Sunday. The Scorpions were cock-a-hoop after beating their arch rivals, the win putting a top-four berth within their grasp.
As Frankston slept-walked through the first quarter, the Scorpions busily went about building a match-winning lead. After 30 minutes, the Scorpions led 8.3 to 1.1. Frankston eventually awoke _ some stern words from coach Brett Lovett at quarter-time did the trick _ but the damage was done. Frankston's tardy start was unusual. The Dolphins this season have been dynamic early; the stats show they are the third-best first-quarter team in the VFL. But they looked sluggish as the Scorpions sparkled. When tall Jarryd Allen booted the opening goal of the second term, the visitors surged 50 points ahead.The trumpeters on the hill urged Frankston to fire up and they did, booting the next four goals of the term to cut the margin to 19 points by half-time. But the Dolphins' charge was quickly extinguished in the opening six minutes of the third quarter with goals by Xav Clarke (on the run from 50m), Leigh Fisher and Allen. The Scorpions' lead was back out to 37 points, and Shane Birss, Jarryn Geary, Kyle Matthews, James Wall and James Taylor were up and running. Birss was best-afield with 40 possessions, again raising his hand for promotion. Wall zoned off like Tom Harley, picking off 13 marks, and Xav Clarke kicked three goals and had 26 disposals. The Scorpions gave a debut to tall former Tasmanian Tim Mohr and he was handy with 10 possessions as a back-up to dominant ruckman Ben McEvoy. The fourth-placed Scorps can cement the double chance when they host Coburg on Saturday in the ABC televised match. Casey Scorpions 8.3, 9.4, 13.8, 16.10 (106) d Frankston 1.1, 5.9, 7.9, 10.10 (70). Goals: Casey Scorpions: Allen 3, Clarke 3, Dunne 2, Matthews 2, Fisher 2, Garrubba, Parker, Armitage, Howard. Frankston: Berry 3, Dore 2, Lourey 2, Proctor, Kennedy, Limbach. Best: Casey Scorpions: Birss, Clarke, Wall, Taylor, Allen, O'Bryan. Frankston: Gabriel, Lourey, Raso, Berry, Dunne, Magner. $1000 Leader player-of-the-year award (votes by football manager Craig Lees): 3 Shane Birss, 2 James Wall, 1 Xav Clarke. Progressive: 17 Birss, 9 Silvagni, Rix, 7 Armitage, Gwilt, McQualter, 6 Clarke, Jones, 6 Wall, 5 Matthews, Geary, 4 Gardiner, 3 Ferguson, R Clarke, 2 Steven, Taylor, Dunne, Fisher, Milne, Armitage, McEvoy, Allen, 1 X Clarke, Panozza, Howard. Reserves: Casey Scorpions 9.12 (66) lt Frankston 16.9 (105). |
