Eagles score a win on the road

SFL Season 2015 

Round 14 Review

By BEN HARRISON

THE finals tightrope for East Coast has become just a little wobblier following the Bombers' loss to New Norfolk at Triabunna on Sunday. Going back two rounds the Bombers were set to go a game clear in third spot on the ladder but Saturday’s 51 point loss to the reigning premiers has nearly put paid to that dream with only four rounds remaining.

Following Huonville's massive 20-goal defeat of Cygnet and Brighton getting the points with a solid win over Dodges Ferry, the Bombers find themselves in a three-way battle for two spots in the top five, a situation that coach Matthew Barry said would come at the toughest time of the season for his side. “We are really staring down the barrel to be honest,” he said when talking to the Mercury after the game. “Before the loss in the Brighton game we were looking to go one game clear in third place but now we are in a dogfight.”

East Coast's quick start on Saturday suggested to the coach that his side could still come out of its next four games still in the top five. The Bombers made the most of a fierce wind at Triabunna to take the lead into quarter time and kicked the first goals of the second quarter before the Eagles switched on and moved into overdrive. “I think we can stay in the top five,” Barry told the Mercury. “We have shown that we can compete with any side in the opening exchanges – we just didn’t use the wind to our advantage in the third quarter.”

Four goals to Bradley Ransley fired New Norfolk to the win that highlighted the gap between the top two teams and the rest of the SFL clubs was a wide as ever, while for the second game in a row Jacob Wigg was named best afield and also kicked two goals. Damon Crew finished with two goals for the Bombers.

In the reserves it was victory to the Eagles again by 66 points, while Kingborough defeated New Norfolk in the Under 18s game at Kingston.

SENIORS
New Norfolk 1.3 (9) 6.6 (42) 7.10 (52) 12.19 (91)
East Coast 4.4 (28) 5.5 (35) 5.9 (39) 5.10 (40)
Goals - New Norfolk: B. Ransley 4, J. Wigg 2, M. Horne 2, C. Wilson, B. Lovell, N. Eiszele, Z. Gardam; East Coast: D. Crew 2, B. Morrisby, M. Walker, J. Eaton
Best - New Norfolk: J. Wigg, B. Chaplin, C. Wilson, M. Horne, T. Triffett, J. Clifford;  East Coast: B. Palmer, T. Giffard, D. Arnol, J. Triffett, D. Lyden, C. Hutchison.

RESERVES
East Coast 1.1 (7) 3.7 (25) 3.7 (25) 6.12 (48)
New Norfolk 3.4 (22) 5.5 (35) 11.12 (78) 17.12 (114)
Goals - New Norfolk: C. Curtain 9, M. Thompson 3, N. Lester 2, D. King, S. Fenton, J. Murray; East Coast: D. Mead, T. Howard, M. Haigh, M. Leale, N. Lemm, J. Nelson.

Best - New Norfolk: C. Curtain, J. Murray, M. Thompson, J. Banks-Smith, T. Duggan, J. Duggan; East Coast: L. Taylor, Z. Rossiter, D. Russell, M. Haigh, E. Moore, S. Anderton.

COLTS
Kingborough 1.0 (6) 2.2 (140 5.3 (33) 8.4 (52)
New Norfolk 0.2 (2) 1.5 (11) 1.6 (12) 3.6 (24)
Goals - Kingborough: A. Huizing 3, K. Oates, L. Knowles, J. Bones, J. Fyfe, J. Shaw; New Norfolk: A. Long 2, J. Eiszele.
Best - Kingborough: J. Fyfe, J. Wells, J. Manix, H. Prichard, K. Oates, J. Shaw; New Norfolk: J. Whitford-Marriott, J. Eiszele, T. Eiszele, R. Wakefield, T. Oates, J. Mann.


In the other games at the weekend:

Huonville 25.11 (161) defeated Cygnet 5.2 (32)
LIONS playing coach Tim Lamprill kicked eight goals to make it 16 goals in two weeks and evergreen James Lange was best on ground whilst Kane Nielsen once again tried hard for Cygnet and Gavin Quirk finished with three goals for the Port.  Huonville Lions won in the Reserves by 108 points.

Brighton 15.14 (104) defeated Dodges Ferry 7.10 (52)
BRIGHTON stayed right in the three-way race for a finals spot with a solid 52-point victory over Dodges Ferry at Shark Park on Saturday. In the reserves Brighton won by 155 points.

Claremont 29.25 (199) defeated Hobart 3.5 (23)
A SIGNIFICANT margin separated the Magpies and the Tigers as the ladder positions predicted but a margin of nearly 30 goals made this game more like a training drill for Claremont. Claremont won the reserves by 122 points.

Lindisfarne 7.9 (51) defeated Sorell 7.2 (44)
THE Two Blues finally found a way to get over the line against Sorell in their clash at Pembroke Park in a game that was Sorell’s for the taking until the final quarter.  Lindisfarne had a win in the reserves by 38 points.