MPFNL Division 2: Cribby conquer Tractor Park hoodoo, now for finals
Crib Point smashed their 14-year Tractor Park hoodoo with a clinical performance over Pearcedale, but the finals race remains razor-tight.
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Crib Point has hailed it their most complete game of the season — and their most important win of the campaign.
The Magpies’ away-from-home 15.10 (100) to 11.11 (77) win over Pearcedale in MPFNL Division 2 on Saturday also broke a significant drought.
It was Crib Point’s first win at Pearcedale in 14 years, and only second there this century.
Cribby conquered their Tractor Park hoodoo with a clinical and determined four-quarter display, underpinned by a fast start into the wind and a slashing six-goal-to-one second quarter.
Crib Point captain Miles Shepherd took a staggering nine contested marks in the opening quarter to set the tone as the Magpies kicked three of the first four goals into a stiff breeze.
By halftime, they led by 31 points, and they maintained the energy until the final siren.
“We’d only won once there in the last 25 years before yesterday,” Crib Point coach Duane Annable said.
“2011, I think, it was our last win there.
“Before that, even when we won the flag in 2001, we didn’t win there that year. It’s been a disastrous spot for us in terms of trying to win. So, yeah, it’s huge.”
Shepherd capped a best-on-ground display with two goals.
Harrison Dekleuver was also a key for Cribby, snapping two goals early in the second quarter and finishing the game with four.
Lee Sheehan, Joel Sarlo (two goals) and Daniel Farmer (three goals) also had a big say in the win, while Hampton Rovers recruit Max Coughlin again impressed with two goals.
Josh Le Grice returned to the Crib Point side after an overseas trip and he was hard at it, setting the tone.
For Pearcedale, co-coach Brett Eddy slotted five goals to move to 60 for the season, and ruckman Huw Jones, Cruiz West and Archie McGuiness were also among the best.
Annable said his side got down and dirty in preparation for the game.
“We trained all week, just tackling and contests and pressure was a real focus this week,’’ he said.
“We knew the weather was going to be a bit ordinary. Our midfield, we know how strong they are in there and then forward of the ball, so we just wanted to match them around the middle, and we knew that their back line was pretty light on, with (Jake) Frawley injured and their fullback Jack McGuiness injured so we knew if we could get enough ball in there with Miles and Dan Farmer and that down there, we knew we could we could capitalise and that’s sort of what ended up happening.’’
The win improved Crib Point’s record to 10-5, consolidating fourth spot. But Annable said his side still had work to do to secure a highly-sought finals berth.
Cribby haven’t played finals since 2014.
They missed finals last season in heartbreaking circumstances, slipping out of the top five with a loss in the final round.
“We could actually be sixth after next week,’’ he said.
“Somey and Devon keep winning, so our percentage is the worst out of Chelsea, Devon, Somey, our percentage is the worst.
“So, in my opinion, we have to finish in by a game. We can’t finish in by percentage. So if Somey and Devon keep winning, we’re going to have to find another win, another two wins, possibly somewhere.
“And we’ve got Frankston and Chelsea in the last three as well as Hastings. So, yeah, it’s going to go down to the wire.’’
EAGLES CHASE FINALS BERTH
Somerville continued its determined push for finals with a fast-finishing win over Chelsea, 9.11 (65) to 6.6 (42). The Eagles produced a big last quarter, kicking four unanswered goals after trailing by three points at the final change. Mason de Wit, Oliver Heavey and Lachlan Haskett had a big say in the win, which was Somey’s fourth on the bounce.
Edward Greene fired off five goals as Rye banked its sixth win of the season, beating Hastings 10.11 (71) to 7.11 (53).
Flynn Wood and Khan Haretuku (five goals) fired Frankston Bombers to victory over Bonbeach 14.10 (94) to 4.8 (32).
Lachlan Osborne, Lualweng Woul and Sam Mackinder helped Seaford to a 104-point win over Karingal.
Devon Meadows edged Tyabb by two points to stay on track for finals, with Nick Battle, Ky Williams and Jack Wilson playing starring roles.
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