SFNL: How Dingley remained unbeaten on Good Friday after Springvale Districts comeback

The Southern league’s early benchmark continued its unbeaten start to the season despite a key absence on Good Friday – but not before surviving an almighty scare.

Dingley coach Zach Horsley. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Dingley has done it again.

It wasn’t perfect — but it was enough.

After a blistering first half, the Dingoes survived a late scare to maintain their unbeaten start to the Southern league Division 1 season and hang on for a 15-point victory over Springvale Districts on Good Friday.

Dingley took a lead nearing 50 points into the half-time break, but the momentum shifted in the third term as Springvale Districts wrestled control of the territory battle, and finally broke open the Dingoes defence with a flurry of late goals.

The flurry continued in the fourth quarter, with Springvale Districts on a roll and kicking five goals to one — but unfortunately the run was left too late, with Dingley prevailing 13.9 (87) to 10.12 (72) at Souter Reserve to reaffirm its credentials as the team to beat this season.

“The third quarter came, I think we controlled it for the first 10 minutes and then they got on a bit of a run and ended up getting 25 inside 50s in the third quarter alone,” Dingley coach Zach Horsley reflected.

“It changed the balance of the game.

“We made some mistakes, we put a lot of work into our ball control … we just weren’t able to do it and made some mistakes in our acceleration more than anything, which created turnover which created back-to-back inside 50s against, which created pressure.

“The backs were blowing up a little bit, a lot of repeats, it’s tough, sometimes you have those moments.”

Horsley also noted that there would be lessons aplenty to come from the fourth quarter effort, particularly a need to kill the ball in defensive contests as opposed to contesting marks.

Lachlan Benton played well for Dingley on Good Friday. Picture: Valeriu Campan.

“We gave them opportunity, and later we probably fixed that a little bit,” he added.

“If you look at the balance of the game, we were better for longer and they had a really good 35 minutes.”

It was the Dingoes first-half blitz which won the match, with Horsley lauding his side’s dominance on the outside.

“We controlled the outside, that was the focus going into the game, we felt like some of their better players like to get the ball on the outside,” he said.

“If we were able to put pressure on that and create our own outside ball we could control the game. We did that really well.”

Promisingly for Horsley, Dingley’s last two victories have come without dominant tall forward Caleb Lewis, who has been in concussion protocols.

“Without him it’s a challenge because our system is based around him, now we’re tweaking it to find other avenues to goal and they’re starting to pop up so it’s good,” Horsley said.

On Friday, that avenue was small forward Tom Morecroft, who snagged five goals.

“It’s good to see him moving well, scoring — he’s a great goal finder and finisher, give him opportunity and he’ll usually find a snag somewhere,” Horsley said.

“He’s been on a slow build ... he probably didn’t start training until late Feb so he’s only six or seven weeks into proper training, he’s got a bit of work to do before he hits top gear.”

Lachlan Benton, Jake Johnson, Luke Simmonds and Mitch Cook were also among Dingley’s best, while the result resigned Springvale Districts to an 0-3 start to the season.

Dingley will have a chance at a fourth consecutive victory when it hosts the in-form — and also undefeated — East Brighton at home in round 4.