Diamond Creek enter premiership contention after knocking off Lower Plenty

There’s a new premiership player in NFL Division 2 after Diamond Creek strong defensive proved too much for Lower Plenty.

Sam Gleeson in action for Diamond Creek. Picture: Nathan McNeill

Diamond Creek has announced itself as a genuine NFL Division 2 premiership contender.

The Creekers knocked off title fancy Lower Plenty by nine points on Saturday in a low-scoring arm-wrestle at Coventry Oval.

The match could have been over at half-time if the hosts had have kicked straight, Diamond Creek booting 2.9 in the first half.

Lower Plenty burst out of the blocks after half-time, booting three quick goals, but the Creekers steadied and both teams could only manage one goal in the last quarter as it finished 6.12 (48) to 5.9 (39).

The win sees the Creekers sitting second on the ladder with a 6-2 record with one round to go before the mid-season break.

Ryan Pingree in action for Diamond Creek. Picture: Nathan McNeill

Coach Andrew Tranquilli said it was a critical win for the players’ belief.

“It was a good test for us, we’d played well the three or four weeks leading in and we knew Lower Plenty would test that sustainability,” he said.

“We let ourselves down with goalkicking and they were simple set shots.

“The boys created a lot of good scoring opportunities and restricted their opportunities, which was really pleasing.

“We left the door open and they jumped us in early in the third but we regained composure and we levelled up and it became a good arm-wrestle in the last.”

Diamond Creek has surprised many with its early season form but Tranquilli said it was impossible to predict how the competition would play out.

“We understand the reality, you’ve got your top four sides in Banyule, Lower, Eltham and even Thomastown, which is a dangerous side, so to come away at the half-way mark splitting that 2-2 is promising.

“We can’t forget St Mary’s – the game we got at St Mary’s – to win there is no mean feat, so that was a game we’re pretty proud of.

Diamond Creek Andrew Tranquilli. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“And Watsonia, they have a great list of kids that can play a good brand of footy and I know it was a while ago they had a good win over Lower Plenty in Round 1.”

Defenders Jack Empey, Nathan Searl and Matt Lewis shone against Lower’s high-powered attack – leading goalkicking Billy Barden and Jonathon Zapantis were kept scoreless.

At the other end, Ryan Pingree booted two goals to take his season tally to 17 majors, while Tom Keys was the Bears’ best with three.

“Our back six were super, not only did they rebound but they made Lower second guess themselves, which created a lot of high ball for us to defend,” Tranquilli said.

“It was perfect conditions and it was just two good teams knuckling down, both defensive structures held up pretty strong.

“In all honesty, their midfield had the better of our midfield but our forwards I think had the better of their back six.

“Pingers is in super form and he was one who could have ended up with another five or six.

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“His work-rate is phenomenal and gets under-rated a fair bit, guys see his marking prowess and goalkicking but his work-rate is invaluable.”

In positive news for Diamond Creek, captain Chris Maloney is out of a moon boot after successful syndesmosis surgery and could return in Round 13.

Tom Blake, Corey Sleep, Jordan Sacco and Joel Leslie were Lower Plenty’s best in defence.

Diamond Creek will look to continue its winning form when it travels to Panton Hill on Saturday, while Lower Plenty will look to bounce back when it hosts St Mary’s.