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by KC from Casey The Casey Scorpions retained third spot on the VFL ladder with a 13 point win over the Northern Bullants at Visy Park on Saturday. The hard fought victory in a game played in difficult conditions with swirly winds also secured the double chance that a top four finish brings.
Casey opened playing aggressive, attacking footy but they were off target early Matt Fieldsend's shot hitting the post. Addam Maric was on fire early with the first goal and when Matthew Bate kicked Casey's second, the team led by 15 points to nil halfway through the quarter. The Ants regrouped with goals to Jacobs and O'Hailpin and the visitors took a narrow three point lead into the first break.
Youngster Jack Grimes was in the hands of the trainers having his hamstring treated and was to take no more part in the game leaving Casey one player short and limiting its ability to use rotations for the rest of the day.
The Scorpions maintained their attack on the ball and it was goal for goal as the ball rebounded from end to end in the windy conditions. Goals to Jack Fitzpatrick and Rian McGough kept Casey's ascendency but the Bullants, with their strong contingent of AFL players surged to the lead late in the half to take a six point lead into the main break.
The arm wrestle continued in the third term with both sides adding goals until a Michael Newton purple patch of two goals in a minute gave Casey a 13 point lead. Newton and last week's 10 goal hero Brad Miller had been switching between a forward role and that of back up ruckman to beanpole Jack Fitzpatrick and the tactic was proving successful.
Meanwhile, down back Kyle Cheney, Evan Panozza and Cale Morton were proving effective. O'Hailpin scored his third goal late in the term to set up an exciting final quarter with the Northern Bullants trailing by a mere five points.
The big Irishman was doing his level best to get his team across the line and when he booted the first two goals for the final term to bring his tally to five, the Bullants were seven points in front and threatening.
The Scorpions managed to extricate themselves from a difficult situation last week against Gold Coast with two brilliant individual efforts at either end of the ground from Matthew Warnock at full back and Miller in the key forward post.
This week they saved the game from the fire with a complete team effort led by Cheney, Morton, McNamara and James Taylor who tightened up the defence and Maric and Bate providing the goals at the end that saw them safely home. Matt Fieldsend worked tirelessly to underline his improvement over the season into a fully fledged VFL footballer.
Casey plays Werribee in the final home and away match of the season next Sunday at Chirnside Park (Avalon Airfield Oval).
Casey Scorpions 2.6.18 4.7.31 8.9.57 11.13.79
Northern Bullants 2.3.15 5.7.37 7.10.52 9.12.66
Goals
Casey Scorpions Maric Newton 3 Bate Fitzpatrick 2 McGough
Northern Bullants O'Hailpin 5 Fisher Jacobs Saad Walker
Best
Casey Scorpions Cheney Fieldsend Morton Panozza Taylor Bate
Northern Bullants Thornton O'Hailpin Anderson Walker Iacobucci Johnson
The Casey reserves won their sixth game for the season in convincing fashion with Luke McDonald and Will Petropoulos each booting three goals. Cam Purdy and Wade Lees were the best players in a great overall team effort.
Danny Hughes playing his first game after a long layoff with an ankle injury saw out the first half kicking a goal and pulling up well.
Casey Scorpions 2.3.15 5.6.36 13.11.89 19.15.129
Northern Bullants 5.4.34 8.6.54 9.7.6114.8.92
Goals
Casey Scorpions L McDonald Petropoulos 3 Clay Costigan M Dowse 2 Cleven N Dowse Hillberge Hughes Lees Lillie Purdy
Northern Bullants Dorman 6 Neaves Tiller Thomas 2 C Gianfagna Hall
Best
Casey Scorpions Purdy Lees Riseley Cleven Charalambous Tynan
Northern Bullants Dorman Thomas Mitchem Kerr Neaves Smith |
