Johnson magic rescues Giants in thriller

STEVE Johnson wound the clock back with a match-winning goal in the final minute of yesterday’s AFL clash at Spotless Stadium, helping Greater Western Sydney snatch a three-point victory over Collingwood.

GWS were down to just one fit man on the bench for the frantic final five minutes of the thriller but Johnson’s composure helped them prevail 15.12 (102) to 15.9 (99).

The Magpies outplayed and led GWS for much of a scrappy final term before Johnson read a marking contest magically and crumbed a goal. “He’s probably done that a dozen times in his career, in terms of real crunch moments and he played his role to perfection,” GWS coach Leon Cameron said of former Geelong star Johnson ( pictured).

“He just stays in the game, he’s always thinking.

“That was a really good character-building win ... it’s right up there (with the club’s best ever victories). “It was a really, really good fightback.”

Stephen Coniglio limped off late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury, while Aidan Corr and Sam Reid were both knocked out in the first half.

Collingwood kicked six goals to open up a 26-point lead at quarter- time but were not able to tame their hosts.

GWS key forward Jeremy Cameron led a spirited comeback, booting six goals in his club’s sixth win of the season and first ever victory over Collingwood. Despite his side’s improved effort, the pressure on Magpies coach Nathan Buckley is unlikely to wane.

The Pies managed only 16 tackles in the first half and sit 16th on the ladder.

“The criticism can come but I’m pretty sure the Collingwood supporters, when they see that sort of effort from their team, they’d be pretty proud,” Buckley said.

“It’s no consolation for us at the moment. We’re still out there to win games of footy.

“We did a lot of hard work across the four quarters, and in particular in that last quarter, to be able to put ourselves in that position. We had chances that should have iced it in the last five minutes ... it’s not (GWS being) lucky.”