Ivanhoe pips Mernda thanks to a match-winning performance from an ex-AFL gun

It’s always handy having an ex-AFL star up your sleeve and Ivanhoe was certainly glad to witness just such a match-winning performance on Saturday.

Andy Otten in his last appearance for Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

It’s always handy having an ex-AFL star up your sleeve.

Andy Otten, the 100-game Adelaide Crow, was the difference as Ivanhoe pipped Mernda in a thriller on Saturday.

Playing his third game of the NFNL Division 3 season, due to Collingwood VFL commitments, Otten produced a best-on-ground performance with five goals.

With the game on the line – and a minute left on the clock – he then came up clutch with a towering pack mark before going back and slotting the match-winning kick.

It secured a 14.15 (99) to 15.3 (93) triumph at Ivanhoe Park to cements the Hoers in fourth spot as they chase a maiden Northern league finals appearance.

Ivanhoe coach Wayne Schultz. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Coach Wayne Schultz said the fixture gods had smiled on the club.

“Otto, we were blessed to have him this week with his commitments at Collingwood, he was outstanding,” Schultz said.

“He could have hit the scoreboard a lot more too, just through team care he dished a few off.

“He started deep forward and created a real focal point for us, we started strongly and my message was to get it in direct.

“Later in the game, we swung him back and released another back forward for a while and then when the ball was in our half he slid forward and took an important contested mark, which got us the points.”

While Otten came up trumps when needed, the game could have been over far earlier.

Schultz lamented his team’s inaccuracy in front of goal, which left the door open for Mernda’s second-half comeback.

The Hoers kicked 6.6 in the first quarter, piling on six unanswered goals to lead by 42 points early in the second term.

The home team had 9.9 on the scoreboard in the first half and kicked 5.6 in the second, finishing with 11 more scoring shots.

Trailing by 26 points at half-time, Jayden Bell sparked the Demons’ fightback with three goals in the third quarter.

Goals from Tristan Stead and Kane Veliou gave Ivanhoe some breathing space at three-quarter-time, a 16-point margin, but Mernda made one final push.

Brayden Plant’s fourth goal of the game levelled the scores with under five minutes to play but the visitors couldn’t find the connection needed to hit the front and Otten took his moment.

“Sometimes you win well and sometimes you win ugly and we certainly didn’t do it easily,” Schultz said.

“Reflecting on the match, having 29 scoring shots to 18, conversion was king.

“We challenged ourselves there, Otto and Steady were shinning lights but for the rest of the troops we’ve got a bit of goalkicking practice.

“Early doors, if we’d converted, then potentially it would have made it a lot harder for Mernda.

“To Mernda’s credit, they kicked straight and owned their moments when they went forward, and they came back hard and started to beat us up around the clearances and took the game on a lot more.”

While Otten was a standout, Schultz, Veliou, Marcus Rogers, Will Goodieson and Michael Doyle all impressed.

For Mernda, young tall Lincoln Coffey was best afield, while Bell, Plant and Lachlan Taylor stood tall.

The result sees Ivanhoe move two games clear of Mernda and Kilmore to strengthen its grip on a finals appearance. Kinglake holds fifth.

The Hoers face Old Eltham Collegians away this week before third-placed Epping, Reservoir and second-placed Laurimar in a testing run home.

Schultz certainly isn’t counting his chickens.

DIV 2: WHITTLESEA MAKES PREMIERSHIP STATEMENT

LEADER: GET YOUR NORTHERN FOOTY NEWS HERE

DIV 1: SECRET WEAPON BEHIND HEIDELBERG’S DOMINANCE

“I reflect on last year, so we’re not losing sight and keeping a lid on things,” he said.

“I still feel, like last year, it will go down to the wire, we’ve got some breathing space but nothing is guaranteed.”

Elsewhere in Division 3, Laurimar bounced back by hammering Epping by 46 points, while Kilmore kept its finals hopes alive with a 15-point win over Reservoir.

Kinglake smashed Old Eltham by 76 points for a critical percentage boost and Heidelberg West eased past Lalor by 37.