Eagles get over the line against brave Norwood in a three-point thriller at the Parade
WOODVILLE-West Torrens has staved off a brave Norwood to momentarily grab top spot on the ladder with a thrilling three-point win at The Parade.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens has staved off a brave Norwood to momentarily grab top spot on the ladder with a thrilling three-point win at The Parade.
The Eagles were never headed in the final term but had to survive a serious challenge from the Redlegs who are fighting just to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Eagles went missing for a large part of the game in which they failed to kick a goal from the first minute mark of the second term until the 10th minute of the third, but they came good when it mattered.
Trailing by 16 points midway through the third quarter, they slammed on the next five goals to take control of the game at a crucial time and they didn’t wilt in the last term.
Luke Jarrad’s run and delivery off half back was sensational, sixth-gamer Caleb Lloyd showed good composure with his 18-disposals, Luke Powell had seven clearances and nine tackles and Lachlan McGregor kicked three game-breaking goals.
It was a cruel blow for Norwood who despite a huge game from ruckman Sam Baulderstone, Kieran McGuinness keeping Michael Wundke to just one goal and solid contributions from midfielders Matthew Panos and Tim Webber remain fifth with a 3-5 record.
The Eagles got on a roll early in the first quarter with three consecutive goals as midfielders Scott Lewis, Powell and Jarrad worked hard to keep the footy inside their forward half.
Norwood took a while to steady but both its ruckmen Baulderstone and Brady Dawe found the scoreboard, then last week’s eight-goal hero Michael Newton produced some magic with a miraculous left-foot snap from the boundary line to make scores level at the first break.
Baulderstone had a massive first quarter with 17 hit-outs, six disposals and a goal and he didn’t let up in the second as his partner in crime Dawe got his second goal to the put the Redlegs in front.
The only other goal for the quarter came to the Eagles’ McGregor as the game became a contested-footy lockdown and a battle of the stoppages.
With only one point separating the sides at half time, McGuinness started running off Wundke and the Redlegs looked for their skipper when switching the footy and it resulted in Newton’s second goal as the home side kicked 16 points clear.
But consecutive goals to the Eagles - both a result of free kicks - to Jarrad and Matthew Goldsworthy got them right back in it and when McGregor booted his second soon after, the visitors were in front.
Goals to Kristian Roocke and Newton inside four minutes cut the margin to three points and Norwood had all the momentum but just weren’t able to land the killer blow after that as Ainger and Wundke took two big contested marks in the final minute.
EAGLES 4.1 5.3 10.5 11.9 (75)
NORWOOD 4.1 5.4 7.9 10.12 (72)
BEST - Eagles: Jarrad, Powell, McGregor, Lloyd, Boyd, Goldsworthy. Norwood: Baulderstone, McGuinness, Allan, Panos, Webber, Wilson.
GOALS - Eagles: McGregor 3, Goldsworthy, Ainger 2, Powell, Kane, Wundke, Dunstan. Norwood: Newton 3, Dawe 2, Baulderstone, Panos, Donohue, Roocke.
UMPIRES - C. Fleer, C. Cook, S. Hosking.
CROWD - 3519 at Norwood Oval.