Williamstown holds out great rival Port Melbourne at North Port Oval

WILLIAMSTOWN loses the lead but regains it late in the match to defeat its old foe Port Melbourne at North Port Oval.

Sam Dunell hits Leigh Masters for a hit-five after Williamstown’s defeat of Port Melbourne.

IT was a milestone match between two of Victorian football’s most historic clubs.

And if the 250th clash between Port Melbourne and Williamstown failed to attain any great heights, it had the redeeming feature of a close finish.

Honours went to Willy, by three points, after a scrappy and low-scoring affair played in a blustery and biting wind at North Port Oval on Saturday.

It was Port’s second home defeat in seven days, leaving it fourth on the ladder and six points shy of its great rival after 14 rounds.

But the Borough almost pinched it.

Williamstown, with its great ruckman Nick Meese exerting his influence, outplayed them in the first half and should have led by more than 13 at half time.

Port missed opportunities early in the third quarter and was made to pay when Michael Gibbons strolled into an open goal and Sam Dunell steered through a set-shot.

Port’s Dylan Van Unen looks for a teammate. Picture: Maurice Virduzzo.

Dunell’s major had the Seagulls leading 6.7 to 2.9.

A goal from Borough forward Dylan Conway, playing against his former club, gave the hosts a bit of pep going into the last change.

Coach Gary Ayres pulled out a stirring speech at the huddle, declaring Port had got on top in every area and if it continued to play the same way superiority would show on the scoreboard too.

In the final quarter the Borough attacked without reward until Sam Dwyer put through a goal on his left foot in the 13th minute. Shannen Lange supplied a follow-up soon after, and then Anthony Anastasio, lifting against his former club, booted a long goal to hand Port the advantage, 6.10 to 6.8.

It was the first time it had led in the match. The Borough looked like staging a brazen daylight theft.

But Williamstown wasn’t about to let them get away with it.

It was back in front when Gibbons marked and goaled at the 23-minute mark, and it stayed there, surviving a tense few minutes.

There were key passages of play in the closing stages. Port defender Dylan Van Unen, searching for metres at half forward, was run down by Jack Charleston.

Willy veteran Ben Jolley positioned himself a kick behind play and took a mark when the Borough won a clearance.

Seagull Lachlan Schultz attempts a mark at North Port Oval.

And Meese ensured Willy controlled the ball in close. Harder to shift than Ayers Rock, the big fellow was credited with 76 hit-outs, 18 disposals and 11 tackles; after the match both coaches acknowledged his authority.

Willy coach Andy Collins said Meese was in career-best form.

“I look forward to him growing up and reaching his prime. In my four years here, this is his best year of footy,’’ he said of the 28-year-old.

He also recognised on-ballers Willie Wheeler and Jason Pongracic, who tailed Port skipper Toby Pinwill, and defender Nick Sing’s effort to keep Conway to one goal.

“It’s always a fantastic symbol of the VFL when it’s Williamstown versus Port Melbourne — it’s one of the oldest rivalries in football — and people need to understand that,’’ Collins, who had spent the previous few days railing against AFL Victoria’s decision to can the Development League, said.

“We can’t be dominated by an AFL market all the time.

“I thought it was a good, strong game. Credit to Port Melbourne. In the second half they had more energy to us. From our point of view, the great thing about it was that we were brave in the last couple of minutes after Port hit the front.’’

Ayres lamented Port’s so-so first half.

“They (Willy) played a much cleaner brand of footy, completely dominated the stoppages through Meese, made good decisions at the right time and that was critical to keeping the pressure on us, ’’ he said.

“We were super reactive. We did respond and got our noses in front, but those first two quarters came back to bite us on the backside.’’

Port lost Robin Nahas the night before the game in rather unusual circumstances: he was bitten on the lip by his dog and required plastic surgery.

Brodie Murdoch was also out, joining Brody Mihocek, Khan Haretuku, Mack Rivett and Matt Arnot on the injured list.

Port’s Shannen Lange gets his breath. Picture: Tony Cannatelli.

Port Melbourne 1.1 2.5 2.5 6.12 (48)

Williamstown 3.4 4.6 4.6 7.9 (51)

GOALS:

Port Melbourne: Dwyer Cain Anastasio Lange Conway Lisle

Williamstown: Wheeler 2 Gibbons 2 Bramble Cordy Dunell

BEST:

Port Melbourne: Templeton Lange Mascitti Pinwill Sandilands Tynan

Williamstown: Wheeler Meese Sing Pongracic Masters Charleston

AFL Vic Development League

Port Melbourne 4.2 8.4 10.6 15.11 (101)

Williamstown 2.3 2.4 5.7 7.7 (49)

GOALS:

Port Melbourne: Searle 3 Gleeson 2 Iaccarino Krakauer Hogan Vella Pullan Wooffindin Golby De Soysa Urban Jaffer-Williams

Williamstown: Buykx-Smith 2 Knight Yeo Owen Harvey Condon

BEST:

Port Melbourne: Wooffindin Golby Urban Vella Houghton Searle

Williamstown: Kempster Norton Monk Chisari Buykx-Smith Carroll