EFL Division 3: Scoresby edges Warrandyte in thriller

The Magpies toppled one of the teams to beat in the EFL’s Division 3 in an extraordinary finish on Saturday.

It was one of the matches of the Eastern league Division 3 season so far.

Scoresby staged a last-gasp fightback to topple Warrandyte on Saturday, 8.11 (59) to 8.9 (57), in what senior coach Kristian Bardsley described as a complete team effort.

But Ben Bronsgeest proved the hero at the end, popping up in the dying stages to sink the Bloods after the Magpies had trailed all day – rallying from 19 points down early in the final term no less.

The match-winner came with about a minute to go.

“He kicked the last two of the game, so he’s calling himself ‘The Clutch’!” Bardsley said.

“They were both set-shots – he took a big grab at centre half-forward and slotted it through and put us in front. Then there was a ball-up in our forward line, we congested it up, then the siren went.”

Scoresby sang with plenty of gusto on Saturday. Picture: Scoresby FNC

The sixth-placed Magpies were dealt a blow with key talls Damian Bisinella and Michael Phillips omitted from the side due to illness during the week.

The ‘Pies clawed their way back from 17 points down at quarter-time after the Bloods got the jump.

“We stuck to our guns and slowly got back into the game,” Bardsley said.

“We were behind all day and at three-quarter time it was 13 points, they (Warrandyte) kicked the first goal (of the last quarter) in the first 13 seconds.

“After the first 15 minutes (of the match) we started getting back in. We kicked 1.7 to start with but slowly kept going.

“We could’ve quite easily fallen away after they kicked the first of the last, but they kept fighting.”

Toby Richards finished best-on-ground for the Magpies for his work across half-back.

“He had the ball on a string yesterday, I think in the last quarter he took four or five intercept marks,” Bardsley said.

“He gave us plenty of run off halfback, great defence, and that was probably the best game I’ve seen him play ever.

“He was dominant across half-back, repelled a heap of ball but also won a lot of 50-50 contests.”

Milestone man Jarrod Hicks also stood out in his 150th match, “excellent up forward and in the ruck” according to the coach.

Saturday’s win lifts Scoresby to 3-3. Picture: Stuart Milligan

The win lifts the Magpies to a 3-3 record in what Bardsley hopes will serve as a major confidence boost for his young side ahead of a clash with the Whitehorse Pioneers this weekend.

“Every week we’re getting better in terms of how we want to play and having a contribution from everyone but we finally now got to the stage where we had the chance to win and we did,” Bardsley said.

“Hopefully gives the boys a bit of confidence going into the next couple of weeks that we can match it with all the good sides.”

Warrandyte was led by Tommy Tout who booted three goals to be named in the best alongside Michael Cullum who finished with two.

The Bloods sit third on the ladder with a 4-2 record and face Fairpark away this weekend.