Eastern league 2019: Rowville defeats Noble Park with a goal after the siren

With a “helicopter” kick after the siren a young Rowville player delivered his team a remarkable victory over Noble Park, and the crowd went berserk. SEE THE FOOTAGE

This is how Noble Park coach “Mighty’’ Mick Fogarty saw the closing stages of the Eastern league Premier match against Rowville at Seebeck Oval on Saturday.

“So we surge forward, get it inside our forward 50, ‘Plugger’ (Ben Marson) earns a free kick, handballs over the top to ‘Bella’ Zijai in the goalsquare, bang, goal and we’re four points up with 20 seconds to go,’’ he said.

“Now this is where I’m a big believer in some things not being meant to be, aren’t meant to happen.

WATCH | @Rowvillefc and @NobleParkFC produced one of the most thrilling finishes of the season on Saturday with two lead changes in the final 30 seconds including a goal after the siren as the Hawks snared a two-point victory! #EFLPremier

Check out the final moments: pic.twitter.com/KTkm0cfm9v

— EFL (@footyefl) June 1, 2019

“The ball goes back to the centre, they (Rowville) win the clearance, they have a shitty little kick off the side of the boot and it travels just inside 50.

“A pack goes up and a young kid (Tom Lockman) takes a chest mark. Right, so there’s five seconds to go. He goes back, the siren goes. Now the kid is playing only his third senior game and he has to kick after the siren. And he kicks a helicopter! It’s a helicopter, a classic helicopter!

“It’s going through the points. And then, being a helicopter, it swerves to the right and just goes over the top and through the goals.

“It’s past-players day at Rowville, the hill is packed, the crowd goes berserk, they’ve won by two points.’’

This is what Fogarty did after the siren. He punched the coaches’ box.

This is what the Rowville players and supporters did after the 10.13 (73) to 11.5 (71) victory. They ran like Usain Bolt to converge on young Lockman, a left-footer who is at the start of his senior career but will never forget this match.

Fogarty’s left hand survived the scrap with the box (wisely, he went the palm rather than the fist).

Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty.

But he’s hurting for his players, who again fell fractionally short of a season-steadying win.

“Shattering, disappointing, frustrating, yeah, all those words,’’ he said.

“But I’m so super proud of this group. They gave it everything they had against a really good team and didn’t quite get there. But it will turn, I know it will. We’ll keep persisting and it will turn. We have to keep finding the positives.’’

The Bulls had to make a string of changes from the previous round, with Luke Nelson selected for a debut for Richmond’s VFL team, Bailey Lambert and Lachie McDonnell chosen for the AFL Victoria Young Guns match, Ariek “Dell’’ Lual unavailable and Nathan Oakes sitting it out with concussion.

MORE LOCAL FOOTY

LIFE BAN FOR DOVETON EAGLES PLAYER

BLACKBURN DEFEATS BULLS TO GO 6-1

MILESTONE FOR 'MR VERMONT'

They had two first-gamers in Aidan Nelson, brother of Luke, and last season’s Under 19s captain Dean Jones.

As they do every week, they also had two outstanding leaders in Kyle Martin and Jackson Sketcher and a strong contributor across half back in Anthony Marson, who was playing his 100th club game.

Ali Zijai did some good things too.

As for Rowville, Lockman’s helicopter delivered a memorable milestone for 200-gamer Alex “Spud’’ Frawley and lifted the Hawks to 6-2, good enough for fourth on the ladder.

Former Bull, Port Melbourne-listed Benny Giobbi, was best for the hosts and Steve Georgiou booted four goals.