Fight erupts during Montmorency’s win over North Heidelberg

It was one of the games of the season but Montmorency’s thrilling comeback win over North Heidelberg was overshadowed by disgraceful crowd behaviour.

Jesse Donaldson celebrates a goal for Montmorency. Picture: Nathan McNeill

Tensions boiled over in the final quarter of Montmorency’s epic come-from-behind win over NFL Division 1 rival North Heidelberg on Saturday.

However, it wasn’t on the field but in the crowd where the violence erupted as supporters from both clubs clashed on the balcony outside the Montmorency Park clubrooms.

As the Magpies closed the gap in a thrilling final quarter, banter quickly made way for abuse.

Shortly after Montmorency hit the front a fight broke out with several punches thrown and at least one man left bloodied as a result.

It took several minutes for the two sets of supporters to be separated as abuse continued to be hurled in both directions.

Anthony Daw and Stefan Uzelac fly high in the ruck. Picture: Nathan McNeill

It was a disgraceful sideshow to what was one of the games of the season.

Trailing by 25 points at three-quarter-time the Magpies stormed home to claim a stunning 21-point win – a 46-point final-quarter turnaround.

Kicking with the wind, Montmorency piled on eight goals to one with star full forward Patrick Fitzgerald booting the match-winner.

The 16.14 (110) to 13.11 (89) shootout sees Montmorency draw level with the Bulldogs and Heidelberg on six wins with another blockbuster against the Tigers this week.

Magpies coach Garry Ramsay said early goals in the fourth term were critical.

“The wind didn’t feel that strong on the boundary but the scoreboard indicates it was and the ball seemed to travel a lot further,” he said.

“Coming in four goals down was probably one more than we were hoping for but getting two quick goals in the last quarter changed the players’ mindset.

“It was a big one, it changed the momentum of the game.

Jesse Donaldson celebrates a goal for Montmorency. Picture: Nathan McNeill

“The last two times we’ve played them we’ve led in the last quarter and been overrun and it was the reverse this time, which was nice.”

Stefan Uzelac was immense in the ruck for Montmorency while mid-season recruit Will Golds produced a massive fourth quarter to spark the comeback.

Jesse Donaldson was in everything, his battle with Bulldogs gun Jesse Tardio outstanding.

Fitzgerald finished with four majors while Ryan Gardiner booted three and Shane Harvey kicked five at the other end for North Heidelberg.

“I thought Stef was fantastic today, I thought he rucked brilliantly, he was my best player,” Ramsay said.

“I was really impressed, his kicking was really good as well and he got a lot of touches around the ground.

“Will was fantastic in the second half, really good.

“He started slowly but worked himself into the game, he’s on Carlton’s VFL list, and did really well.”

Montmorency could jump as high as third with a win over Heidelberg this week, with the battle for the second chance heating up with six games remaining.

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Heidelberg has a superior percentage while North Heidelberg and Montmorency are separated by just 1.71 and a resurgent Macleod just a game behind in seventh.

“Our destiny is in our own hands and we don’t have to look at other results,” Ramsay said.

“Win next week and you start looking at the double chance but lose next week and you starting to think about fourth and fifth. It’s a massive game next week.”

North Heidelberg will look to bounce back when it hosts Hurstbridge at Shelley Reserve.