COUGARS STILL IN FINALS RACE
At this stage of the season, ‘finals chances’, ‘mathematical chance’ and ‘finals hopes alive’ are the regular phrases being said around the divisions as the 2010 home and away season reaches its conclusion. Last week at Tormore Reserve, the ‘finals chances’ of both Coldstream and Boronia were on the line, and it was Coldstream who kept their ‘finals hopes alive’ with a powerful second half to run out 28 point winners, and all but ended the Hawks finals hopes this year.
After a tight first half, Boronia looked to have the better of their opponents, able to find a tall marking target up forward in Matt McCormack who kicked three goals in the first half. McCormack was the difference between the two sides, with the Cougars struggling to find a marking option inside forward 50 with poor delivery enabling the Boronia defense to get on top of their opponents. 18 minutes into the second term Boronia had jumped out to the biggest lead in the game – 10 points – and looked to be taking that buffer into the second half until a late free kick went the way of Cougar tall Ryan Richards, to see only four points separating the sides at half time.
Boronia play maker Dean Grice – with his leg heavily strapped – was trying to shake the heavy tag of Matt Stark, with Grice playing more of a centre half forward role in the first half before moving onto the ball in the second half. Where the game changed in the second half was the Coldstream use of their tall timber. Ryan Kerr moved to centre half back and proved hard to pass for the Boronia midfield. Patrick Murphy moved into the ruck for Coldstream, and Ryan Richards moved forward, and suddenly Coldstream were the team with targets up forward.
Coldstream kicked the first three goals of the third term, and 12 minutes in had taken the lead, and moved out to 17 points in front. Johnny Pignataro was lively up forward for the Cougars kicking two goals for the term, whilst Adam Dale and Richards were providing the tall marking options inside forward 50 their side had lacked in the first half. Coldstream kicked six goals to one for the term, with McCormack adding his fourth goal to be the only Hawk to trouble the scorers in the third quarter.
In a lackluster final term, Scott Reece kicked his first goal of the game to give the Cougars a 32 point lead, and Boronia’s Craig McKenzie kicked a rare goal to reduce the margin to 28 points at the final siren.
While Boronia have been the side to cost Coldstream a finals berth on numerous occasions in recent years, the Hawks did not on this occasion. They still might however have an influence on the Cougars finals hopes, as Boronia faces Doncaster and Warrandyte on the run home, and if they were to upset either side, it would help the Cougars chances.
