Drouin lets another winning chance slip
A chance to grab a win for the season slipped through Drouin’s fingers on Saturday.
Deep into the second quarter the Hawks look headed for victory over Bairnsdale when it got out to a 34point lead after a run of eight goals but it was a struggle from then on.
Bairnsdale had kicked the first three goals before the charge by Drouin.
Drouin’s fightback started with a Damien Allison goal from a free kick but Allison’s day was to end within a minute when he tore a hamstring.
Darcy Irwin, Clayton Kingi and Dan Seri capitalised on some good attacking moves generated in the centre of the ground to have the Hawks up 4-5 to 3-1 at quarter time. The run continued into the second term. Tom Barr goaled within a minute, Liam Axford followed soon after, Irwin got his second for the half and David Olsen chipped in to drive a long shot home to lead 8-6 to 3-2.
Drouin’s mid fielders, Bob McCallum in the ruck, Jordan Kingi, Axford and Barr had been driving forces. But Bairnsdale hit back. Inaccuracy, the Redlegs kicked 2-7 to nil to finish off the quarter, left them still trailing by 15 points at half time.
There were danger signs for Drouin when the gap was further reduced to eight points early in the third term but a snapped goal by Rhys Fairlie and two to the injury restricted Michael Theodoridis provided some breathing space.
When James McKellar got another the Hawks’ lead was out to a potentially match-winning 25 points. That was back to 17 points at three-quarter time. Bairnsdale produced more run and positive play from the start of the last term as fatigue and pressure led to some bad mistakes from the Hawks. After eight minutes the Redlegs had hit the front. They kicked five unanswered goals before Theodorodis steered a goal through from an angle.
He had kicked three of Drouin’s five goals for the half and had he not carried a hamstring strain throughout the game the result may well have been different.
Axford, McCallum, Jordan Kingi and Barr were great all game but by the siren they were spent.
Cambell Jolly, David Olsen, Clayton Kingi, Theodoridis, McKellar, Seri and Irwin were worthy of honourable mentions.
The issues the Hawks have had all season – decision making and skill execution in particular – again let them down on Saturday when a win was in the offing.