Old Eltham Collegians kicks last six goals of match to over-run Mernda
Old Eltham Collegians coach Matt Sleeman talks us through the Turtles’ incredible comeback from 40 points down to stun Mernda with the last six goals of the game.
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Down by 40 points in the third quarter.
The final six goals of the game.
Two goals in the last 90 seconds.
Old Eltham pulled off one of the all-time NFNL Division 3 comebacks to snatch a remarkable eight-point win over Mernda on Saturday.
It took until the final minutes of the second quarter for the Turtles to kick their first goal of the match.
They then roared home, booting eight goals to three – including five to nil in a heart-stopping last quarter – to stun last season’s grand finalist, 9.16 (70) to 9.8 (62) at Eltham College.
The Turtles led for just 90 seconds.
Matthew Keys ignited the final quarter surge, before Jay Smith and Kieran Malone got Collegians within four points with 10 minutes to play.
Mernda held its lead until, with two minutes left, stand-in captain Liam Rushton-McCoach launched the Turtles into attack and Matt Williamson took a strong contested mark.
The reigning league-leading goalkicker kicked truly and sprinted back to the centre square in celebration.
Malone’s second of the term gave the home team breathing space just 30 seconds later and the siren sounded moments after the centre bounce restart.
Turtles coach Matt Sleeman said there was no miracle fix, his team just grinded its way back into the match.
“Mernda’s pressure was insane, every time one of our guys got it they jumped on us,” Sleeman said.
“I said to a few people the scoreline probably flattered us a little bit, people will look and say ‘oh, the Turtles didn’t kick straight, that’s what kept them out of the game’ but I didn’t feel like we were ever in the game in the first half.
“We changed a couple of things and got our running game going, we weren’t taking many risks and there weren’t many handball receives.
“The scoreline looks like we had a massive comeback but it wasn’t like six goals in 15 minutes, it was six goals across two quarters.”
A dominant second quarter had Mernda in control at half-time, taking a 29-point lead into the break.
Quick goals early in the third pushed the margin towards seven goals before the momentum shifted.
Once Old Eltham gained control however it spurned a series of chances, kicking 8.11 in the second half.
The Turtles lost key defender Daniel Hallett to a shoulder injury in the first quarter, while Paul Vidinopoulos was troubled by a free-flowing blood nose throughout.
Captain Eden Simpson injured his shoulder in a practice match and Rushton-McCoach stood up superbly in his absence.
Together with Bradyn Taglieri, the pair were best-on-ground, while Beaudie Maroney, Jay Smith and Brent Macaffer also shone and Williamson finished with three majors.
“It’s Liam’s first time in the leadership group and like Steve Bradbury, he looks like being captain for much of the year,” Sleeman said.
“He had a great game and was close to best on I thought.
“I had Bradyn as best, he was tough all day, did a lot of the grunt work and got the footy out to our running mids.
“By their own standards I think (Taglieri and Macaffer) would have ranked their performance as unders but that was more reflective of Mernda’s pressure, there was no easy footy in the middle.
“The ground and conditions probably suited Mernda, they are a good contested side, whereas we’re more of a running style and their ground suits us better.”
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For Mernda, Travis Keating booted three goals, Josh Mazzarella impressed in his return, while Lincoln Coffey and Aydin Kesici stood tall.
Boom off-season recruit Brent Marshall remains on crutches after injuring his leg in pre-season, while Shannon Bennett was also missing.
Elsewhere in Division 3, Fitzroy Stars ruined Dane Swan’s appearance for Kinglake with a 28-point win.
Newcomers Old Paradians and Ivanhoe made the perfect start to life in the NFNL with a thumping 86-point over Heidelberg West and 55-point victory over Reservoir respectively.
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