Southern league Division 1: Cheltenham rallies to defeat St Paul’s

Cheltenham came from four goals down to collar the Doggies but a knee injury to star player Tom Davis put a downer on the victory.

Cheltenham players sing the song after seeing off St Paul’s. Picture: Valeriu Campan

No matter how far Cheltenham’s season goes or how fabulous it becomes, the Rosellas will have few better wins than Saturday’s success over St Paul’s at McKinnon.

Chelt won by 10 points.

Despite being four goals down at quarter time.

Despite meeting opposition a lot more accomplished than its position on the ladder indicates.

And despite being light on the interchange after losing Tom Davis and Jackson Kilner to injury.

Matthew Kreymborg takes possession for the Doggies. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Poor Davis. The No 44 booted three goals in a dazzling second quarter to help pull the Rosellas back into the match.

In the third term he went down with a knee injury that was being described as an ACL. He was hitting the heights one minute and sitting on the sidelines the next. It’s a brutal game, football.

Coach Des Ryan said it was a tough blow for a player who had been enjoying an excellent season.

“He was enormous. His hands and his body work are as good as anyone’s in the competition,’’ he said.

“He’s been our best forward this year, our best contested mark. He’s got an ability to win the footy inside 50 in contested situations.’’

Casey VFL stalwart Jack Hutchins kicked the first goal of the match for the Rosellas. But the Doggies, having finally cleared the medical room and got in a position to pick something close to their best side, booted the next six, their ball movement exact, their pressure immense.

The way they were playing must have had a few spectators checking the ladder to see if they really were in the lower rungs.

Even club great Ken Shaw looked up from cooking the barbecue to glance at the scoreboard.

There was Curtis Murfett winning the ball in close, James Sziller doing the same, Brody Lawford thumping it forward on his left foot, Ryan Maddaford showing a ton of toe, and Kieran Knox and Will Clarke defending stoutly.

The goals came impressively: a set-shot from Steve Muller, Lawford on the left, Brad Dolan on the run, Carl Herbstreit taking a 50m penalty, Ryan Carroll making a long shot, Matt O’Brien taking a dash.

Even when Muller kicked out on the full St Paul’s had 6.0.

Austin Johnson pulls in a grab for the Rosellas. Picture: Valeriu Campan

It had put down the challenge.

And Cheltenham answered it in the second term, emphatically, Sean McLaren a powerhouse in the ruck, the helmeted Davis darting around the forward line, Daniel Harrison surging off his wing and Jack Davis off his back flank, Jackson Barclay boring in and winning a lot of the ball.

Matthew O'Brien marks for the Doggies. Picture: Valeriu Campan

By half time the visitors had grabbed the lead by two points.

They held it the rest of the way, but there wasn’t much in it.

The Doggies kept coming in the last quarter, but they couldn’t quite raise a finishing kick.

Speaking to his players after the game, Ryan said they had passed a tough test.

“I said to you during the week, this is as hard a game as you get in the Southern footy league, coming here and playing this mob,’’ he said.

“It’s a different ground and they play it extremely well.’’

At quarter time Ryan had told his players they were “like a cow that gives you a bucket of milk then tips it over’’.

Ryan Carroll takes a kick for St Paul's.

“Yeah, I was frustrated with how we started,’’ he said after the game.

“Took us a while to get going but we showed a lot of resolve and strength after quarter time. Like I said, any win here is a golden win. They’re a good side. He (Doggies coach) Jason Heffernan coaches them well, they play a good structure.’’

Ryan praised McLaren, saying he “took charge of the game’’ when the Rosellas needed him.

He said the former Swans rookie needed to “play on the edge’’ to produce his best.

Heffernan said St Paul’s was beaten by a team with strength and size all over the ground.

“We put six (goals) on them and they came back at us really well,’’ he said.

“The best sides do that. They’re just big fellas and they put an impact on the game.’’

St Paul's coach Jason Heffernan. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In other matches:

Bentleigh jumped East Malvern with four goals to none in the first quarter to set up a 10-point win in a scrappy affair at Dunlop Reserve, 7.7 (49) to 5.9 (39). Sam Lewin was again outstanding for the Dees.

Former AFL forward Aaron Edwards booted 10 goals for St Kilda City as it routed Mordialloc 20.6 (126) to 3.7 (25).

Port Melbourne Colts had to fight hard to get past bottom side Highett 14.14 (98) to 12.3 (75). Former AFL player Luke McGuane played his first match for the Colts, for whom Rikki Newton booted five goals.

Dan Farmer slotted seven goals as Dingley thrashed Oakleigh District 27.16 (178) to 8.4 (52). Nathan Peddle kicked for the Oaks.