EDFL: Keilor beat Strathmore behind Kyle O’Connor’s impressive display

A Keilor forward has quickly taken his game to another level with a stunning display on Good Friday as coach Mick McGuane says he is impressed with two young guns and a defender.

Kyle O’Connor is proving he is ready to take his game to another level during his second season at Keilor.

The exciting half-forward finished with two goals in a “really important” performance for his side as the Blues ran out 13.14 (92) to 9.11 (65) winners over rivals Strathmore at Lebanon Reserve on Good Friday.

Keilor coach Mick McGuane believes O’Connor would have finished with “30 odd touches and 2.3” in a dazzling display.

O’Connor is already showing signs of building on his impressive debut season in red, white and blue when he finished second in the club’s best and fairest after playing 12 games, kicking 16 goals.

“I thought Kyle was our best player in a really important role,” he said on Friday night.

“He’s a real threat for us in front of the footy and across half-forward. If he had of kicked straighter it would have been a massive afternoon for him.

“But I was really impressed with his game throughout the four quarters. To have a diverse range of goalkickers with eight players getting on the scoreboard was something I thought was really impressive.”

Kyle O'Connor was named best on ground for Keilor. Photo: Hamish Blair

The Mores gave Keilor a “massive fright” in the last term as they trimmed the margin back to 14 points at the 15-minute mark after trailing by 41 points at the final change.

But Dean Galea’s third goal of the day — the most of any player of the ground — took the wind out of the home side’s sails.

McGuane revealed he had been forced to send players back out onto the field underdone with both sides dealing with cramp and sore bodies in a bruising contest.

“We had a lapse in concentration but it was a good lesson for us that you can’t afford to do it against a good side,” he said.

“I thought we played excellent footy for the first three quarters especially to hold a high quality team to four quarters in 90 minutes of footy.

“(Brad) Xavier led well in defence and was one of our better players.”

Keilor star Dean Galea finished with three goals. Picture: Jamie Morey

With Strathmore missing its leading goalkickers from 2021 in Athan Tsialtas and Kyle Weightman, McGuane said “pressure at the source” was always going to be key for his side.

“When we heard three of their taller options wouldn’t be playing, we knew if we could have high balls coming into defence it was going to relieve the pressure on our back six,” he said.

“I thought our spread from stoppage was important and that we defended the ground well as a unit. We deliberately wanted to stretch the ground and I thought we were able to do that when we had the game on our terms.”

James Bailey was named in the best for Keilor. Picture: Hamish Blair

Brett Stillman, Daniel Sargent, James Bailey and Campbell Barton were also named among the better players for Keilor.

Barton alongside young ruck Campbell Gray also won praise from McGuane.

“They’re two young kids who are growing in confidence all the time and had some impressive moments today,” he said.

For Strathmore, star midfielder Adam Iacobucci was named the best player on the ground.

He alongside ruckman Andrew Vavra were heavily influential as the Mores threatened to complete a stunning comeback.

Daniel Mighell, Brock Egglestone, Callum Clinnick and Cooper West also fought hard.

Keilor will look to maintain its perfect record when it hosts Maribyrnong Park on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Strathmore will play against the winless Glenroy on Anzac Day.