The Casey Scorpions have snuck home in a dramatic win over an in form Bendigo side last weekend to record a thrilling three-point victory.Brendan Lucas reports.
Gold, who had won their past six, were looking to continue their streak but the comeback specialists the Scorpions had other ideas.
An unlikely hero in ruckman Jake Spencer kicked the winning goal in the dying seconds, and gave the Scorpions’ coach something humorous to reflect on.
“[Spencer] is finding his feet a bit more now. I thought he rucked extremely well and his agility around the ground is improving week by week,” said coach Brett Lovett post-match.
“For a big bloke like him to run in and kick that goal, it makes you laugh sometimes, but he really stood up for us today.”
But it was goal for goal in the first term, with Gold gaining a narrow edge at quarter time as the rain began to fall.
Gold were on the front foot early in the second creating space and opportunities, as Hal Hunter added one to the highlight reel with a seemingly impossible goal from the boundary line at the 17-minute mark.
The Scorpions hit back hard late in the second with consecutive goals to Michael Evans, Cale Morton and Leigh Williams bringing the margin to five-points in favour of Gold at half time.
In the third term the Scorpions were stagnant, as slow ball movement and an inability to hit targets from defence proved costly.
Gold dominated the stoppages and clearances, pleasing coach Hayden Skipworth with their long and direct forward entries.
Matt Little reaped the rewards kicking his third as Gold went on to hold their biggest lead of the game, 29-points at three quarter time.
At the last change coach Brett Lovett still gave his side a chance. He noted that defenders needed to contend hard and for the work rate to lift in order to win.
In the first 10-minutes of the final term it was end-to-end football. Two Gold players failed to seal the match after being unable to make the distance forty metres out from goal.
Strong forward pressure from the Scorpions kept them in the game, as Mitch Gent lifted midway through the quarter to kick two hard-earned goals.
Brent Moloney had been dropped from the Melbourne side and whilst not a standout performance, provided some grunt in the engine room finishing with 20 possessions.
Troy Davis led the Scorpions in defense and gave his side ascendancy in the air taking strong goal-saving marks.
A final goal to Jake Spencer clinched the match from a stunned Gold outfit who did not have the answers.
Scorpions coach Brett Lovett said he was pleased with the comeback win but hoped that the trend would not continue throughout the remainder of the season.
“Well the way we have been playing this season we have rarely given up. I thought we hadn’t really been playing that well. We failed at a couple of objectives we had, but we stuck at it,” he said.
“In the last quarter I thought we were able to win the ball a bit more at stoppages. We kicked the ball long and our forwards competed really well, and bit by bit we chipped away and ended up with a win.”
After round 16, the Casey Scorpions now sit one game clear of Port Melbourne on top of the Peter Jackson VFL ladder.
Photo: Dave Savell
Last Modified on 17/07/2012 10:03