Victorian Amateur Football Association comes from behind to beat Northern Football League in Metro Championships
THE Victorian Amateur Football Association retained its standing as Melbourne’s premier football competition after a pulsating come-from-behind win over the Northern Football League.
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THE Victorian Amateur Football Association retained its standing as Melbourne’s premier football competition after a pulsating come-from-behind win over the Northern Football League at Princes Park on Saturday.
The Ammos trailed the NFL until the 13-minute mark of the final term of the AFL Victoria Metro Championship decider.
University Blacks star Adam Pitt managed to get himself on the end of a crumb in the pocket and snap home the Ammos’ seventh and final goal of an arm wrestle with seven minutes left on the clock.
The NFL, which had controlled the blockbuster for most of the day, could not convert via a difficult Jordan Treloar set shot three minutes later and the VAFA rep side hung on for a five-point win that had seemed improbable for most of the match.
The NFL jumped out to a 20-point quarter-time buffer but the Ammos narrowed the gap to 11 points by the main break.
A goalless third term saw the Northerners blow numerous scoring opportunities, kicking just 0.5 to keep the VAFA in it.
The VAFA struck early in the final quarter, through Old Scotch gun Jack Bull, before Uni Blacks’ Bede Mahon drilled a follow-up 10 minutes later.
Coach Cam Roberts was thrilled with the pride his players showed wearing the famous Big White V.
“It was an exceptionally slow start but I think the fact that the VAFA have real pride in rep footy is what kept us going, so that persistence was really pleasing to see,” Roberts said.
“It was a hell of an ugly game but I just sensed we were building and there was going to be a point where we would break or they would break and I think, in the end, it was just because of that persistence that we actually got them and that’s what won us the game.”
Old Trinity defender Harry Tinney’s performance on prolific NFL forward Shane Harvey earned the 25-year-old best-on-ground honours.
“The fact (Tinney) weathered the storm early and was then able to just have a real influence on play was outstanding,” Roberts said.
“Tom Sullivan (St Bernards) in his first rep game was outstanding, I thought Brendan Iezzi (Trinity) lifted us and Adam Pitt (Blacks) going forward just competed and really worked for us.”
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