Chris Yeend
Romsey is through to the second semi-final after an 86-point demolition of Melton Centrals at Romsey Park in the first elimination final on Sunday. The win was set up by full-forward Matt Davidson who kicked 14 goals as the reigning premiers look to meet their 2011 grand final opponents, the Sunbury Kangaroos, in the second semi at the Kyneton Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon.
ON THE RISE
The Centrals went into the clash confident after finishing the season in sixth position with a win over the Redbacks at Romsey Park just two weeks earlier. They had won more quarters than their opponents (20-19) in the second half of the year and narrowly missed out on beating Macedon in the final round of the home and away season. Romsey celebrated a strong win over Rockbank in the last round after suffering losses to Melton Centrals and the Sunbury Kangaroos in the lead-up to the opening week of the finals. Northern Blues VFL player Chris Petroro was a handy inclusion for the Redbacks while key backman Leigh Erwin missed due to an ankle injury.
TITANIC STRUGGLE
Many had predicted that the game would be very tight for the duration as the Centrals improved their physical pressure on opposing teams as the year went on. This proved evident early as they took the game right up to the Redbacks. Chris Carassaellos looked dangerous across half-forward, Steve James was strong against Romsey's Blake Henderson and Shane Fredickson showed plenty of poise. The game was stuck on the scoreboard wing for the opening five minutes before Centrals forward Adam Fenton marked 50 metres out at right half-forward. The ball went up and just snuck over the line for a goal to put them up by six points at the six-minute mark.
DAVIDSON SHOW
Fenton's goal would be the last of the Centrals' celebrations for some time as Romsey embarked on the most spectacular run of football that would have long-time football fans in disbelief. Leigh McInerney won the clearance from the ball-up after Fenton's opening goal and found Matt Davidson on the chest in close range. He kicked truly at the seven-mark to level the scores. Angus Storey marked and narrowly missed a shot at goal at the 10-minute mark, the last minor score for the Redbacks until the 10-minute mark of the third term. Davidson kicked another four goals in five minutes. The midfield delivery was extraordinary. One of the marks was taken after Chris Petroro gathered the ball on centre wing, arched his back ahead of his opponent, took two bounces and spotted up Davidson on the chest with little daylight between him and a Centrals backman. Brad Mitchell goaled on the run and Davidson kicked his sixth at the 17-minute mark as the lead blew out to 37 points in just 11 minutes. Davidson added two more in two minutes and Blair kicked another from a free kick at the 26-minute mark to extend the margin to 54 points at quarter-time.
CENTRALS FIGHT BACK
Melton coach Brian Wheelahan was disappointed with his side's lack of accountability and demanded that his team step up on the big stage. Meanwhile, Romsey coach Mark Pederson was happy with the team's progress and urged the side to keep it up. The Centrals lived up to Wheelahan's message as Fenton kicked his second at the three-minute mark to cut the margin back to eight goals. Davidson kicked his ninth before Carasellos replied shortly after. Adam Fenton kicked the goal of the day from the next centre clearance as he battled in the air in the goal square with his opponent. The Romsey defender knocked the ball down and it dribbled off Fenton's boot and beneath the Romsey player's feet before he'd landed from knocking the ball as it skittled through from a metre out. The excitement was short-lived as Davidson marked and goaled from 25 metres out at the 11-minute mark to have 10 on the board. Cam Dawson goaled at the 18-minute mark to extend the lead back out to 53 points. John O'Brien started to lift in the ruck and Mark Gillman won plenty of hard-contested ball through the middle as the Centrals kicked into action. Chris Robertson and Ben Longhurst goaled to finish the half, the latter with a long goal from 55 metres out that just cleared the pack to reduce the margin to 39 points at half-time.
WASTEFUL REDBACKS
Davidson kicked his 11th in the opening minute as both sides traded goals to start the second half. Romsey had kicked 14 goals without a miss and that changed when Dawson kicked a point on the run at the 10-minute mark. This sparked a run of seven straight misses in 10 minutes of play. This was broken up by a goal from Melton Centrals at the 15-minute mark to Shane Fredickson who was awarded a 50-metre penalty after Romsey's Jack Mills almost karate-kicked him in mid-air as the margin was reduced to 37 points. From that point on, Phil Romeril continued his brilliance, Jake Lever and Nathan Blair cleaned up across half-back as Romsey kicked the last three goals of the term to lead by 59 points at three-quarter-time.
BROTHERS IN ARMS
With the game in the bag, the Redbacks didn't stop their train. Nathan Davidson kicked his opening goal of the game from a mark 25 metres out before his brother kicked back-to-back goals four minutes later. It was the quarter for the brothers as Blake and Dave Henderson kicked a goal each and Nathan Davidson kicked his second at the 23-minute mark to blow the margin out to 98 points. Longhurst and Fenton kicked belated goals for the Centrals to finish the game off as Romsey celebrated a victory and a date with the Roos at Kyneton on Saturday.
RADIO
Tune in to the Friday Sports Wrap with Ken Helmore from 6.30pm on Friday night and again at 12 noon on Saturday afternoon. From there, gear up for the live and exclusive action on 100.7 Highlands FM as Sunbury Kangaroos play Romsey from 1.30pm.
Last Modified on 04/09/2012 17:42