EAGLES’ LATE FLURRY OVER CHRISTENSEN’S TIWIS

IN a fast and furious final term that produced 14 goals between the two sides, Wanderers booted seven of the last eight to overrun a tiring Tiwi Bombers at Gardens Oval yesterday.

The Eagles led by a mere eight points at the last break before recording a 19.6 (120) to 13.10 (88) victory.

The Bombers struck first after former AFL star Allen Christensen grabbed the ball from the midfield and passed to Adam Sambono, who kicked truly. Dion Munkara also goaled a minute later, giving the Islanders the perfect start.

However, a mark and goal from Josh Cubillo and another from Dane McFarlane squared the ledger for Wanderers halfway through the term, and when Jobastin Priest and reigning Nichols Medallist Beau O’Connell both steered through six-pointers, it gave the Muk Muks some score space at the first break.

With Jack Monigatti, Fletcher Carroll and Jake Neade lifting for Tiwi, a beneficiary was Nicholas Hooker, who opened the scoring in the second with a goal to peg back the Wanderers’ lead. A snap by Sambono late in the term saw the Bombers hit the front, but Brett Eddy reversed the trend and the Eagles went to the long break with a five-point lead.

O’Connell steered one through from outside 50m to commence the scoring in the third. A brace of majors to both Adam Tipungwuti (Tiwi) and Eddy saw Wanderers maintain their slim advantage at the last break.

The final quarter was tightly contested in the early stages, but when Christensen broke clear and goaled on two occasions, then Tiwi hit the front at the 13-minute mark.

But that was the call to arms for Wanderers, and with Simon Bates, O’Connell and Stanley Tipiloura running the legs off their Tiwi opponents, they broke open the game in favour of the blue-and-gold.