“Disappointing” from ‘The Outer Eye’
Norwood travelled to closest neighbours East Ringwood on Saturday for Rd 6 action, hoping to get back on the winners list after a slow start to the season. It wasn’t to be however, as a slicker, stronger and more committed East Ringwood held sway comfortably to win by 27 points.
The game started poorly for our boys, kicking to the scoring end we could not lay hands on the ball for the first 15 minutes as East Ringwood dominated with 3 goals 3. Eventually, this period of the game was to be the deciding factor in a game which never reached great heights. On a brighter note, our blokes stirred into action, as we kicked the last two goals of the quarter to arrest the slide. When Matt Bate was freed and awarded a 25m penalty at the start of the 2nd quarter, we had kicked the first goal to reduce the margin to 2 points. Alas, that was the end of our resistance, and remarkably, our scoring at that end of the ground, we would not post even a single point for the rest of the game to the Mines Rd end. East Ringwood, more cohesive with ball movement, more accurate by foot and with more ability to run and spread from stoppage, moved away. Twice from deep in the left forward pocket they threaded excellent goals, and when aided by a couple of horror turnovers from our boys, in all kicked 5 unanswered goals to open up a cavernous 34 point break at half time 8.5 – 3.1
The third quarter saw us eat into the East Ringwood lead as the game evened out a little. 2 goals to Blair Hudson, both from the left forward pocket where it seemed impossible to miss, and a goal each to Ceppi and Aver, saw us close the gap despite two goals from East Ringwood. Crucially, Matt Aver missed from 15m out straight in front late in the quarter, a goal there would have brought us back to within 13 points. It was not be and at the last change we trailed by 18, 10.5 – 7.5.
With a sniff of an unlikely victory Denis urged the players to play on, take risks, and test the East Ringwood fitness, getting the ball away from repeat stoppages where East Ringwood’s big bodies had held sway all day. But despite attacking constantly for the first 5 minutes, we could not fashion a scoring opportunity, and the game reduced to a bitter stoppage after stoppage struggle, exactly what East Ringwood wanted and what Denis feared With the game long since decided, East Ringwood kicked the only goal of the last quarter as the clock ticked into time-on to ice a well deserved victory, 11.8.74 – 7.5.47.
Once again, good players were hard to find, though Jordan Ceppi is proving himself an excellent recruit, surely leading the B&F at the moment with another classy game. Hill Holmes Clarke and Gibson were among the better players, while the incident involving Darin Stewart certainly fired him up to produce his best game for the year in an encouraging sign.
We have the bye this week before heading to Rowville for a difficult encounter. In brighter news, both the development squad and the U19s recorded big wins.
Go Wooders.
Last Modified on 18/05/2016 11:18