EDFL 2019: Oak Park secures first win of Division 1 season

Oak Park has added intrigue to the race to avoid relegation in EDFL Division 1 after scoring a convincing win over Roxburgh Park.

Oak Park skipper Daniel Rajab starred on Saturday. Picture: Jamie Morey

Oak Park has a pulse.

Eight years after they fell painfully short of the ultimate prize in EDFL Premier Division, the Kangaroos are fighting to avoid the drop to Division 2.

They gave their chances of survival a much-needed shot in the arm with a convincing 46-point win over a wasteful Roxburgh Park at home on Saturday, 14.14 (98) to 6.16 (52).

Oak Park’s maiden victory of 2019 leaves it in second-last position, equal on points with Taylors Lakes and the Magpies, but the club has gained an extra four points courtesy of a second bye, meaning it will have to claim at least one more win to stay in Division 1.

The Kangaroos also avenged their 12-point loss to Roxburgh Park in Round 4.

Football manager Adam Fletcher said it was a “massive game” for both teams.

“We’ve known all year we’ve had the right players,” Fletcher said.

“It’s just trying to get the right mix and start to jell together. We’re starting to play a few of the younger kids and they’re playing their roles. It’s starting to work.

“We’ve played good quarters all year — we haven’t put four quarters together.

“We probably thought last time we played Roxy we should have won, but (we were) undisciplined and sort of lost that ourselves.

“Hopefully we can start to string a couple (of wins) together.”

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Oak Park established a 25-point advantage at the main break and kicked six goals to two in the second half.

Captain Daniel Rajab was dominant, delivering his best performance of the campaign, while Jack Pascu and Jack Kennedy (three goals) were also influential.

“They’ve been really good in patches throughout the year, but they all jelled together (on Saturday), so it makes a difference,” Fletcher said of the experienced trio.

Talls Aden Harris (four goals), Harrison Wilson and James Barnes also played key roles.

Youngsters Taylor Hotchkin and Mason Carburn have also nailed down spots in the senior side.

Fletcher said the club had started planning for next season and was confident it could avoid relegation to the third tier.

“We think we can,” he said.

“There’s obviously a few winnable games, but if we play football like we did (against Roxburgh Park), I think we can match it with a lot of teams.”

The Kangaroos have a testing month to come with matches against the competition’s top-four sides — Westmeadows, Tullamarine, East Keilor and Craigieburn.

They will close the campaign with pivotal clashes against Taylors Lakes and West Coburg.

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