Lyrebirds hold off brave Bloods
BULN BULN moved a step closer to a place in the Ellinbank District football grand final, continuing its strong 2022 form over Trafalgar to advance to next week's second semi-final.
While the Bloods rallied through the middle stages of the match to close back within sixpoints late in the third term, a strong start and finish delivered the 12-13 (85) to 7-7 (49) result for the Lyrebirds.
With Jace Butler a big out for Trafalgar due to welcoming a new baby overnight, it was Buln Buln who made the fast start in senior game number 200 for Matt Gray.
While the likes of Gray, coach Bob McCallum and Matt Stevens patrolled the forward line, it was the returning Sam Langford who was the hot hand early.
Damian Mann and Hayden Baker traded early misses before strong defence set up the first for the Lyrebirds. Manning up to make a Trafalgar exit difficult, Stevens found Baker in what transpired as a seven-point play.
Skills were exceptional early and it would begin a run that would realise five of the first six goals for the Lyrebirds.
Sam Batson found plenty of the ball and was rewarded with a goal courtesy of a free kick and 50-metre penalty.
An angle on the boundary side proved no problem for Langford, who would finish with five for the afternoon.
Dylan Farrell was dropping back to assist the Trafalgar defence and he set up an attack that would deliver the Bloods their first, Matthew Swenson converting from a juggled mark.
Buln Buln quickly shut down any chances of further resistance, Langford making no mistake from 25 metres for an immediate response.
Brandon Allen, who would provide rebound from defence for the afternoon, cut off a Trafalgar exit to combine with Jackson Kos. He speared a left foot pass to coach McCullum as the Lyrebirds went into quarter time four goals clear.
Not to be denied Trafalgar would lift to cut the margin across the second and third terms to put themselves back into the contest.
Chris Kyriacou, Mitch Virtue, Blake Radford and Hayden Brock would lift on the back of the early form of Farrell and Swenson.
Radford kicked the first of the second term and while Langford would add another from a strong mark, along with one over the back to Hayden Baker, the Bloods would have the better of it from there to the final break.
A Tristan Marslen free kick for a sling tackle began a run of three goals for the Bloods. A clean pick up and snap from Swenson was followed by another on the siren to bring the margin back to 12-points.
A running goal to Kos saw the third term start in a positive manner for the Lyrebirds, but the Bloods would come again.
Farrell took a turnover on the wing to set up Marslen for a good pass to Mann, and it was game on again as Tyson Leys made no mistake to cut the margin to six points late in the quarter.
A long goal to McCullum on the siren provided the steadier as the Lyrebirds would finish with the final four goals of the match.
Hardy Kenny had been doing a good job to quell Langford, but he would bob up again with a snap from 20 metres for the important first goal of the final term.
Thomas Axford joined Allen as a key pillar in defence as Kos, Hayden and Trent Baker continued to provide drive.
Langford booted a long goal from 45 metres for his fifth and if that hadn't sealed it, another blow from the left foot of Jake Pierrehumbert made it lights out for the Bloods.