University Blacks rise to the occasion as Huw Lacey’s 150th match sparks back-to-back VAFA wins

HUW Lacey’s 150th match appears to have come at the perfect time for University Blacks, sparking the reigning premier to back-to-back VAFA wins.

VAFA football: University Blacks V University Blues. No 5 Huw Lacey for Blacks. Picture: David Smith

UNIVERSITY  Blacks turned Huw Lacey’s 150th match into a double celebration by claiming its first win of 2015 last week.

The Phoenix triumphed 13.10 (88) to 10.9 (69) over previously-unbeaten Old Trinity, holding off a late surge from the hosts at Daley Oval.

Uni Blacks coach Luke O’Connell said the club’s breakthrough victory had been the perfect way to crown Lacey’s milestone.

“It’s fantastic for Huw,” O’Connell said.

“We don’t have a lot of 150-game players so it’s great to be a part of it.

“It was certainly a bit of icing on the cake.”

O’Connell said he hoped the win would provide the catalyst for a change in fortune after a testing start to the Victorian Amateur Football Association campaign.

The reigning premier lost its opening four matches before upsetting Old Trinity on the back of a best-on-ground performance from Charlie Richardson.

Jordan Quaile also continued his brilliant start to 2015 with three goals in the win.

“Jordan Quaile has been playing some really good footy, Joel Earnest has been playing well and some of the old stagers are starting to find their feet. (It’s been a) gradual build,” O’Connell said.

The coach paid credit to the work Uni Blacks’ players had put in.

“The boys have been training really well and we knew we were on the verge of something,” he said.

“It was just putting it together on game day and getting the result allows us to consolidate all that work that we’ve done.”

The Phoenix proved too good for Beaumaris on Saturday, climbing off the foot of the table after a 32-point win.

Elsewhere, University Blues lost its third successive match against Old Xaverians, slipping to fourth after a bright start to 2015.

In Division 2, Richmond Central was no match for Northern Blues, going down by 32 points away from home.