Central District in thrilling last-gasp victory over Port Adelaide
CENTRAL District has kept its finals hopes alive with a thrilling win over top side Port Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
CENTRAL District has kept its finals hopes alive with a thrilling win over top side Port Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
The Dogs gave up a 42-point lead at half-time to be down by three points with seconds remaining only to steal a memorable win when Kyle Jenner kicked truly.
The siren sounded as Jenner’s kick sailed through to grant the Dogs a 16.8 (104) to 15.11 (101) win.
It was Central’s sixth victory in seven games and keeps it within a sniff of fifth spot with games against Glenelg at Elizabeth and North Adelaide (at Prospect) remaining.
Their desperation showed with a five goal to one quarter against a Port Adelaide side stacked with 14 AFL-listed players.
Port looked shot when the Dogs took a seven goal lead into the main break.
But Port slammed on eight goals to Central’s one as Tom Logan (40 touches) and Sam Gray (three goals for the term) ran rampant to give their side a three-point lead turning for home.
Central District coach Roy Laird said his side’s ability to scrap after giving up such a big lead showed it possessed the character to play deep into finals.
“To be able to stand up in the last quarter to compete and be pressed again and come back it shows our boys have improved dramatically on a few months ago,” Laird said.
“Around the footy, (the Magpies) got hold of it in the third and were prepared to run harder than we probably wanted to defend which is hard to stop mid quarter.
“In the end we beat the number ranked team today, which had big inclusions to what they had last week, and we faced a really good team this week and competed really well.”
Central wrestled back the lead early in a scrappy final quarter when Bryce Retzlaff kicked his fourth goal for the match.
Jarrod Schiller’s first goal a few minutes later followed by a clutch set shot goal from the southern pocket from Jenner gave the Dogs breathing space.
The Bulldogs pressed again and when Matthew White jumped high, marked, and goalled at the 14 minute-mark the Dogs held a 21 point buffer.
Magpies defender Nathan Krakouer, who was swung forward in the last quarter, kicked two goals in the final term and when Anthony Biemans slotted his set shot from the northern pocket Port were up by three points.
The Bulldogs rolled the dice one last time through a dashing rebound run from Josh Waldhuter, whose kick after a couple of bounces went inside 50.
Jenner’s straight shot, from a free kick 40m out from goal from the resulting contest, won the game when the siren sounded seconds after it left his boot.
CENTRAL DISTRICT 5.3 10.5 11.6 16.8 (104)
PORT ADELAIDE 1.3 3.5 11.9 15.11 (101)
BEST – Central: Glenn, Goodrem, Retzlaff, Mabon, Barmby. Port Adelaide: Logan, Gray, Stewart, Amon, Ah Chee
GOALS – Central: Retzlaff 4, Jenner, Nason 2; Thomas, Glenn, Williams, J Schiller, Goodrem, White, Milne, McIntyre. Port Adelaide: Gray 3, Logan, Hitchcock, Krakouer, Biemans 2; Bruggemann, Shaw, Newton, Amon.
INJURIES: Byrne-Jones (leg)
REPORTS: Nil.
CROWD: 2139 at Elizabeth Oval
UMPIRES: Ralston, Sboro, Sowter.