Match Report Ironbank vs. Lobethal A Grade
After completion of one half of the minor round, Lobethal and Ironbank had settled at third and fourth positions on the Central Division ladder respectively, with only one game separating them. In comparison to recent seasons, the Tigers have risen from the ashes and despite recent consecutive poor performances against the top two teams, their first round win over Ironbank in early April has proven a good indicator of the side's new level. The Thunderers came into the game with a marginally better percentage, though with Hahndorf, Torrens Valley and Onka Valley also vying for a top five berth, Ironbank really needed to bounce back after a narrow loss to Torrens Valley to maintain a place in the finals race. Fortunately for both sides, some threatening weather held off for all four quarters and conditions were cool but dry throughout the game, allowing a good skill level for the more composed players. Unfortunately for the home side, a pattern seen for three of those quarters featured early goals to the visitors, with their major ball winners using it much more effectively around the ground for most of the day. In the centre, the taller Karlis Blicavs got his hand to the ball before Ironbank's starting ruck Nick Vandenberg, while the workman-like combination of Luke Nitschke, Matt Jenkin and Trevor Baust toiled successfully against Thunderers Will Muirden, Simon Hulme and Ryan McGahey. In an ominous opening, Lobethal had a goal on the board from the boot of talented opportunist Alex Wills, who swooped on a defensive error from Ironbank only a minute after the first ball-up. Not deterred, the locals fought back quickly and except for kicking a string of minor scores, had a good share of the play in their forward half. Matt Smith and Chris Ladhams presented well deep in the forward line but could not capitalise from balls worked towards goal by Chris Schneider and Rhys van Paridon at half back and Scott Walter on the wing. After a lengthy struggle with no majors to either side, a free at the twelve minute mark to Joel Bawden near the centre of the ground ended in a goal to McGahey who marked in the right forward pocket when supplied the ball by hard running Brad Yeomans. Even with Geoff Munn, Yeomans and Adam Shearwood moved into the centre square and Hulme and Bawden alternating in a "run-with" role to thwart Baust, the effort involved in registration of their first goal for the day was a sign of the uphill battle facing Ironbank for the remainder of the game against the much improved Tiger line-up. In a dominating performance over the next ten minutes, Lobethal's mosquito fleet of Baust, Matt Jenkin and captain Jack Bampton created havoc with help from Wills, Tim Jenkin and James Skinner and the away team added another four unanswered goals. Skinner kicked his first for the game, followed by one to in-and-under Baust from a high-tackle free, another came to Joseph Zadow via Wills and the last on the run to Wills for his second, from the hands of Zadow near the goal square. Throughout the latter half of the quarter, Lobethal controlled the play from their defensive end, through the likes of Matt Brockhouse, Simon Hermel and with Matt Higgins and Nathan Stanbury keeping a tighter reign on Smith and Ladhams, goals were hard to come by. Except for a goal to McGahey from a free awarded right on the siren, the task ahead for Ironbank had begun to look challenging (2.5 to 5.3).
A few minutes into the second quarter and for the only time in the game, after some dogged but unsuccessful forward work by the visitors, Ironbank scored the opening goal. A long kick-out from Van Paridon at full back was first marked by Munn, handballed to the running Tagliaferri, sent through Bawden to Smith and off hands, ended with an accurate snap from Daniel Batson. This was probably one of the best passages of play for Ironbank all day but Lobethal were not phased and soon got back down to business, matching that with a goal from James Elliott via a sharp delivery from Matt Jenkin, then adding another from centre half forward through Tim Jenkin. To stay in touch, Ironbank were forced to work even harder and a few minutes later, the strong defensive marking efforts displayed again by Munn across half back were rewarded with a goal at the other end snapped by Muirden on the run after a handball feed from Walter. With the home side gaining momentum, Lobethal continued to force their way forwards and overall, made much better use of the ball. Whenever taking possession in their defensive area, multiple Tigers players would rapidly run and spread for an outlet pass. Over a sustained period, they peppered the goalfront to provide opportunities for Skinner, Wills and their on-ballers but most shots were wayward. At the other end, whenever the ball went forwards to Smith, he was often pitted against Higgins and Brockhouse, who also drifted across half back to help Nicholas Schild nullify Batson. Late in the quarter, the Thunderers added two goals in quick succession, the first through Ladhams despite considerable and continuing attention from Stanbury, then a second via a snap from Shearwood working the ball out of the pack at centre half forward. A renewed vigour in the Ironbank camp, now only 11 points shy of the lead, was dampened quickly by another Lobethal goal to Wills in the final minute of the quarter. While three of the four Ironbank goals for the quarter had come from snap shots taken under considerable pressure, the fact Wills had time to straighten up and slot a goal when running free in the forward pocket was illustrative of the difference between the stature of sides at this critical stage (6.5 to 8.10).
Surprising only for the fact he was again not used in the centre square from the start of the game, Batson was moved into the ruck to attempt to combat the height and agility of Blicavs. Despite this, the Thunderers did not get the start that they needed, when once more Matt Jenkin rammed the ball forward to Skinner who posted his second after only one minute of play. The response to the added pressure on Ironbank was made good soon after when Ben Thomas drove the ball to a large pack contest just outside the Thunderers goal square and quick-thinking Ladhams made the most of the ball as it came to ground, to register a much-needed major. Relief for the home crowd was short lived with a three minute burst from Lobethal notching three more goals. Showing tremendous skills and dash in the thick of play, Wills added another to his mounting tally and this was followed closely by goals to Zadow and Skinner. In a desperate attempt to salvage the fast fading hope of a pivotal home win, Ironbank rallied again with two goals of their own. Thomas delivered cleanly to Munn at half forward, who finished the clearence work off accurately, then was involved in the next passage of play that culminated in a third Ladhams goal. While outplayed to this point in the term, these goals were not enough to reduce the half time deficit nor to quell the Tiger spirit. For the remainder of the term, Ironbank could only be reactive as Lobethal continued to win possession around the ground, with Tim Jenkin providing good run for the defensive efforts of Higgins, Schild and Brockhouse and smalls Baust, Bampton and Matt Jenkin running their opponents ragged. To significantly extend the lead going into the final change and put the result almost beyond doubt with a seven to three goal quarter, Bampton, Wills and Skinner each chimed in with a goal for the Tigers before the term ended (9.9 to 15.12).
With little to lose and a chance to restore some pride by at least narrowing the margin before the final siren, changes were made to the Thunderers team structure. Full forward Smith was sent to full back, Munn to full forward and Schneider to half forward. The changes were expected to provide new opportunities to score and to upset the Tigers own structural balance but ultimately had little impact. Lobethal's performance was virtually unaffected and they again scored the first goal of the quarter, this time in less than a minute, when Wills converted from yet another Bampton supply out of the centre. A second Tigers goal followed immediately, again from a Bampton clearance, this time to a running Cameron Stewart who snapped a goal from centre half forward. In a scintillating display, Lobethal added another five goals over the next eight minutes to humiliate the struggling Thunderers. Two of the additional goals, scored by Stewart and Matt Jenkin were complemented by three more to Skinner to cap off a stellar personal seven goal haul for the day. With few answers at any point on the ground, Ironbank managed only two more goals, one each to Thomas and Muirden. As a final insult, Lobethal countered each of these with majors to Bampton and Wills in the dying minutes, before the siren sounded to ease the pain for the shell-shocked and dejected Ironbank players. In the last quarter, a major league fixture would have seen many home team spectators leave the ground as they saw their side being put to the sword so spectacularly by a more polished and hard working outfit. Full credit must go to Lobethal on a stunning 80 point victory, featuring a far more systematic playing style over the course of the game and including a second half decimation of the home side on the scoreboard. At Thunder Park, the spectators stayed despite the debacle that unfolded but may not be so kind if similar performances are offered up by the playing group in the coming rounds (11.13 to 24.15).
Simon Bawden 15.06.2013
Last Modified on 18/06/2013 15:57