MPFNL Division 1: Sorrento edges Mt Eliza by two points with late goal

The Sharks had a point to prove as they edged Mt Eliza in a nail-biter, improving their record to 4-1 in MPFNL Division 1.

Leigh Poholke celebrates after kicking the winning goal.

Sorrento playing-coach Leigh Poholke kicked the winning goal as the 4-1 Sharks downed Mt Eliza by two points, 15.5 (95) to 13.15 (93), in an MPFNL Division 1 thriller at Madsen Reserve on Saturday.

In the best game of the season so far, Sorrento surged five goals ahead in the third quarter before Mt Eliza mounted a rousing comeback to hit the front courtesy of a goal by Tom Small late in the match.

But the Sharks came again and Poholke outmanoeuvred his opponent to take a chest mark and slot the winner — his fourth goal of the afternoon — with a minute to go.

Sorras captain James Brigden was outstanding, Nick Jamieson kicked three goals and ex-AFL players Myles Poholke and Dylan Clarke were instrumental.

Leigh Poholke takes a mark in the final minute of the game.

Poholke celebrates the winning goal.

Poholke said he had the Mt Eliza game “pencilled in’’ for months, determined to make amends for a “dreadful” showing against the Redlegs last season.

“They got us there last year by 15 goals in that Nathan Jones game in front of a big crowd with everyone running onto the ground,” he said.

“One of their past members came up to me and goes, ‘geez, I hope you guys don’t get relegated’, after that game last year.

“They were really good that game — they were sensational — and we were dreadful.

“So we had this one pencilled in since the start of pre season, Mt Eliza at Mt Eliza, in round five. It’s one that we really wanted to get the job done.”

Henry Connolly kicks a goal for Sorrento.

Poholke said we he was hoping the siren would go as he lined up for the game-deciding kick.

“I kicked it like a busted arse all day, too,’’ he said.

“Everything I was kicking off my heel, off my bloody ankle, my shin, I missed one from the top of the goal square...so it was nice to hit that one off the middle of the foot that’s for sure.

“I was thinking it would be nice if the siren just went and we could finish it here. I got word, ‘no there’s still two minutes left’. I thought, ‘oh, God’.

“We had three of our senior guys on the bench cramping, and Marcus Gardner did his hamstring. That’s a big ground and chasing those blokes around all day takes a toll, we were feeling it at the end of the game.’’

Sorrento ruckman Liam Buxton goes up against Chris Carey.

Poholke praised Sorrento ruckman Liam Buxton, who was pivotal in the win after an absorbing battle with Mt Eliza’s Chris Carey.

“Without him probably nothing works for us,’’ he said.

“Everything is built around what he does in the ruck. He went off for five minutes at the end of the third quarter and they kicked three centre bounce goals straight away. He’s clearly our most important player.’’

For Mt Eliza, Tom Small was sensational, kicking three goals, along with Jeremy Burton, Finn O’Neill, Nathan Scagliarini and Fin Bayne.

Tom Small kicks a great goal.

In other games:

Langwarrin and Rosebud both recorded their first wins of the season in MPFNL Division 1.

Langwarrin stormed home to beat Mornington, kicking five goals to one in the last quarter to win by 22 points, 10.8 (68) to 6.10 (46).

Rosebud led throughout to upset Pines by 22 points, 12.12 (84) to 9.8 (62), with Kirk Dickson kicking four goals and twins Matthew and Stephen Cumming clearly the best two players on the ground.

Dromana thrashed Frankston Bombers by 67 points, 20.6 (126) to 8.11 (59), with Hastings recruit Clayton Gay slotting five goals, Jordy Andrews four and Billy Quigley three. After a tight first quarter, the Tigers piled on 13 goals in the second and third terms to take control, with Matthew Gahan, Sam Fowler and Josh Geurts in dominant form.

Ex-Dolphins and Karingal forward Riley D’Arcy fired off six goals as Frankston YCW put Red Hill to the sword, 15.10 (100) to 5.4 (34). Lane Meyer, Byron Barry and Bailey Fry were also among the Stonecats’ best.