VAFA: Old Mentonians enjoys ‘special’ win over Hampton Rovers

Old Mentonians celebrated like they’d won a final after a backs-to-the-wall victory over the strong Rovers at Boss James Reserve.

Best-afield Jai Florent takes a kick for Old Mentonians.

It was a “special’’ win.

It even reduced committee members and supporters to tears in the changerooms after the match.

Old Mentonians coach Steve D’Andrea admitted he too was emotional after his team’s outstanding win over ladder leaders Hampton Rovers in VAFA Premier C on Saturday.

Fielding three first-gamers, and two players down on the bench at halftime, OM came from behind at three-quarter time to triumph 11.15 (81) to 11.11 (71) at Boss James Reserve.

They had trailed by 15 points at the last change and conceded the first goal of the final quarter.

The visitors responded by kicking the next five and then holding on to square their season at 3-3.

Young Jai Florent, on the Frankston VFL supplementary list and the brother of top Sydney Swan Oliver, was best-afield.

“Played an unbelievable game,’’ D’Andrea said.

“He’s a quality kid. Embraces the whole Mentone Grammar culture.’’

Lewis Oliver sets up Old Mentonians.

Full back Lewis Oliver, wing/half forward Tom McCarthy, and midfielders Kyle Conlon, Josh Gorman and Stuart Harris were also outstanding.

D’Andrea said it was “in the top three’’ of the wins he had coached.

Old Mentonians lost more than 30 players – 13 of them senior regulars – from the squad they had assembled for the 2020 season that never went ahead.

D’Andrea said the club became “a bit of a target’’ after building so impressively.

“We’d been written off and no one was giving us any chance,’’ he said.

“But we’ve rebounded. I said to the guys, it was all about being patient, start building chemistry and trust amongst each other, because a lot of them hadn’t played together.

“Yesterday we believed, I suppose, and as long as you believe and you back it up with hard work and pressure, you can get a result.’’

Comrey Edgeworth on the run for Old Mentonians.

Adding merit to the performance, Old Mentonians were without captain Sam D’Andrea and vice-captain Alex Cross, and lost Mitch Adams (concussion) and Sean Macpherson (knee) during the game. And hard-running Harris was hit by cramp late in the match.

“Every time he went on the ground he’d seize up and we’d have to bring him off, the poor bugger,’’ D’Andrea said.

“It was effectively a jigsaw puzzle because guys were playing different positions … big ground at Hampton, we’re two down at half time, we’ve got a fair bit of work to do when they’ve got the breeze – we’ve got to defend but at the same time attack – it was one of those special wins really.

“A lot of the older blokes who had been there for a long time – Comrey Edgeworth and Lewie Oliver – were saying it was one of the best they’d been involved with. The supporters were there, the committee were there, and they’ve got tears and everyone’s going nuts. It was like it was a final. I did have a tear but it might have been the cold weather.’’

Old Mentonians coach Steve D'Andrea.

D’Andrea added: “You do get a bit emotional because you put a lot of work into it and if you don’t stay positive you can sit there and say, ‘Is there someone standing behind the gum trees with a voodoo doll?’, because you’re either losing players or getting injuries or having clubs picking you off, taking players. Everything was looking black storm but we have a good group and you put your development hat on and they start believing.’’

The win made for memorable first games for Riley Bochel, Tynan Brazionis and Jordan McGillivray.