VFL 2018: Coburg claims first victory of season over Frankston, ending 331-day winless run

COBURG snapped a 331-day winless run and earned coach Leigh Adams the first victory of his tenure with a 45-point win over Frankston on Sunday.

COBURG snapped a 331-day winless run and earned coach Leigh Adams the first victory of his tenure with a 45-point VFL win over Frankston on Sunday.

Erasing the heartbreak of last weekend’s controversial draw against Sandringham, the Lions led from start to finish in an emotion-charged 14.11 (95) to 6.14 (50) victory.

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The first goal of the fixture took almost 10 minutes, small forward Hisham Kerbatieh breaking the deadlock to give Coburg a seven-point buffer.

The hosts had blown the game open by quarter-time, piling on 5.7 to lead by 34 points.

While the Dolphins slashed the margin to 17 at the main break, the contest was settled when Coburg piled on seven goals to one behind in the third term.

As the sheer number of players experiencing their first win crowded the middle of the team song post-match, those around them struggled to link arms.

Midfielder Ben Allan helped inspire Coburg to its first win of 2018. Picture: Kylie Else.

“Just a lot of bloody relief,” Lions captain Tom Goodwin said.

“There was more people on the inside of the huddle than the outside. It was absolutely awesome.

“We got a standing ovation from the crowd (from) all the supporters that are there week in week out on the terraces.

“We have got a really strong supporter base and a lot of it was because of them.

“We’re telling them every week we are going to improve and they have been watching and can see glimpses. It was bloody good to get it for the supporters.”

Prolific midfielder Marcus Lentini led the stats sheet with 26 disposals, but the influence of more-seasoned VFL players such as Goodwin, Peter McEvoy and Ben Allan was telling.

“We have been talking about it all year,” Goodwin said.

“We have just been getting closer and closer.

“Our last month has been reflective of that.

“We have put together some pretty strong performances and I think it just came down to a matter of time.”

With games to come against Port Melbourne, Werribee, Northern Blues and Geelong, the Lions are hellbent on hauling themselves from the bottom of the ladder.

“There’s a heap of belief in the group that once we do get everything together we can play some really good football,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin said he had not been concerned about the mental toll the last-minute draw against the Zebras would have on the club’s young playing group.

“The best part about it with this playing group is, no matter what … they don’t stew on anything,” he said.

“We rocked up Monday night and they reloaded.”