Last quarter charge failed by 9 points
A late surge by Gippsland League failed to haul it over the line against Central Murray league in their Victorian Community Championship clash at Cohuna on Saturday.
From the 15-minute mark of the last quarter the Gippslanders slammed through four goals to get within nine points, losing 11-19 to 12-4.
And a shot from Russell Cowan, that proved to be the last kick of the game, fell a metre short.
It was a comeback to bring the good-sized crowd for an inter-league match to voice after Central Murray had controlled the majority of the game. It added 3-11 after half time. A three-quarter time lead of 28 points, that was formidable in itself, could have been stretched well beyond Gippsland’s reach when Central Murray added four behinds from the first four scoring shots of the final term.
A cloudless, warm day and barely a sniff of breeze greeted the Gippsland players as well as a long and wide Cohuna oval – it measured 190 metres from goal line to goal line.
Gippsland took a 5-0 to 3-3 lead into the quarter time break, making the most of its chances while the opposition had more use of the ball.
Forwards Brayden McCarrey and Chris Dunne took little time to show their quality, each getting two goals in the opening term, the other by Dylan Loprese from a well-judged mark and good conversion from a pocket.
Warning signs soon showed through in the second quarter.
Only goals to McCarrey and resting ruckman Dylan Farrell from a mark in the goal square kept Gippsland in touch during a term where Central Murray was well on top in general play.
It was up by 11 points when the half time siren sounded.
Credit, however, was due to Gippsland’s defence and the assistance they got from midfielders and on-ballers to minimise the damage.
Matt Rennie and Sean Westaway, in the key defensive posts, held firm.
Gippsland was on the back foot throughout the third quarter.
It managed only 1-1, the goal a brilliant piece of clean ball handling, evasiveness and a fine kick on the run by Russell Cowan.
Central Murray kicked 3-6 for the term and missed a few other shots as its pace and better use of the ball had Gippsland non-plussed at times. The trend continued early in the last quarter. But the home side’s high work rate in the warm conditions may have taken a toll as Gippsland lifted its pressure, forced mistakes and found space of its own.
Cowan, then McCarrey and Dunne with two goals for the quarter sparked a resurgence until time ran out.