Box Hill Hawks beat Port Melbourne in extra-time VFL elimination final thriller
BOX Hill Hawks have advanced to the VFL semi-finals in a nailbiting finish, holding out a plucky Port Melbourne in an extra-time thriller elimination final.
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IT was an unforgettable match.
They usually are whenever Port Melbourne and Box Hill Hawks meet. They couldn’t put on a bad game if they tried. They deal in classics.
People still rave about the 2009 and 2010 finals between the Borough and Box Hill, but Saturday’s elimination final at North Port Oval was just as enthralling.
And it had the added element of extra-time as both teams fought desperately to stay in premiership reckoning.
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The Borough were 30 points adrift at half time but rallied in the third quarter and kicked four goals late in the final term to grab the lead by six points.
Another memorable comeback win under the coaching of the great Gary Ayres loomed.
But right on the siren Oliver Hanrahan dribbled through a goal for the Hawks to knot the scores on 83 and send the game past four quarters.
The lights went on as two five-minute periods of extra time were called for.
In the first Port skipper Jordan Lisle put his team in front with a point.
Best-afield James Cousins snapped a goal for the Hawks and Chris Jones followed up with a set-shot to hand Box Hill a 10-point advantage at the change of ends.
Could the Borough come again? No. The gap was too much this time, the final scores 13.18 (96) to 13.7 (85) as the clubs played out yet another bite-the-fingernails final.
They are building a catalogue of classics.
The Hawks would have been kicking themselves had they lost, thinking they had kicked themselves out of it.
They went into the match with 17 Hawthorn players, including notable inclusions Daniel Howe, Teia Miles, Kaiden Brand and Taylor Duryea.
Howe, on limited playing time, sat out the first quarter.
The opening eight minutes produced three goals for both teams, but by the first change the Hawks had earned a 10-point break.
Howe was typically industrious when he came on, combining with Cousins, skipper Andrew Moore and Hanrahan to give Box Hill an edge through the midfield.
Ex-Tiger Moore finished with 31 possessions, Cousins 30 and Howe 28.
With the Hawks extending their lead through the second term — they kicked three goals and held the Borough to one point — they had the match in their keeping at half time.
But reigning premier Port, never knowing when to quit, hit back in the third quarter with five consecutive goals.
Blake Pearson booted fresh air close to goal, only to double back on to the ball and steer it through; Harvey Hooper made a long set-shot; and the emerging Jake O’Brien maintained Port’s run.
Then Mascitti took a star turn with two goals — one a launch from a long way out, the other a left-foot snap — to level the scores. It was a shrewd move from Ayres to move him to the wing with a licence to slip forward.
It set up a tight, tense last quarter.
Box Hill had much of the play in the first half of it, but could only score points. In the Norm Goss grandstand, its supporters groaned in frustration.
Hanrahan finally straightened the Hawks up, and the lead was 17 points at the 16-minute mark.
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But they hadn’t closed the door on the Borough, who now burst through it with goals from Khan Haretuku, Mascitti, Lisle and Mascitti again. It was remarkable — four goals in six minutes and Port suddenly was six points in front.
And it was only seconds away from going through to the semi-finals in normal time. Hanrahan ran on to the ball, poked it through from close in and forced a draw, Box Hill 11.17 (83) to Port Melbourne 13.5 (83).
But the Hawks had the edge in extra-time, extending their season and ending the plucky Port’s year.
Seasoned defender Duryea was named best for Box Hill for his calm authority in defence and youngster Tim O’Brien was also a stand-out in the backline.
Port Melbourne had outstanding contributors in onballer Mack Rivett, Mascitti, who finished with four goals, and key defender Lucas Cook.
But what a match, a cracker to start the VFL finals and an extension of the fierce Borough-Box Hill rivalry.
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BOX HILL HAWKS 5.4, 8.7, 9.9, 13.18 (96) d PORT MELBOURNE 4.0, 4.1, 9.3, 13. 7 (85)
BOX HILL HAWKS
Goals: O. Hanrahan 2, C. Jones 2, B. Whitecross 2, J. Ross 2, A. Moore, D. Moore, A. Brolic, J. Cousins, M. Lewis
Best: T. Duryea, J. Cousins, T. O’Brien, O. Hanrahan, B. Whitecross, A. Moore
PORT MELBOURNE
Goals: D. Mascitti 4, J. Lisle, H. Hooper, M. Rivett, J. O’Brien, A. Anastasio, B. Pearson, T. O’Sullivan, K. Haretuku, S. Lange
Best: M. Rivett, L. Cook, S. Lange, T. O’’Sullivan, M. Wooffindin, D. Mascitti
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