Sizzling third quarter from State League’s leading goalkicker lifts Launceston over the line against a gallant North Hobart
North Hobart put an almighty scare into the unbeaten Blues winning plenty of admirers and almost causing a massive boilover in a classic at league headquarters.
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- Demons secure best win of Richard Robinson era
- North won’t fall into track of focusing solely on TSL star
LAUNCESTON’S unbeaten TSL streak lives on but North Hobart can no longer fly under the radar after falling agonisingly short of a boilover at league headquarters.
In a contest fully deserving of top-of-the-table billing, the Blues escaped with a three-point victory courtesy of some third-quarter Dylan Riley magic.
Hudson medal leader Riley kicked all four of his goals in the third stanza — three in succession within a four-minute period — as the visitors piled on six goals to four to turn a two-point halftime deficit into an 11-point advantage at the final change.
However the gallant Demons refused to wilt and had a chance to snatch victory in the final minutes before going down 9.7 (61) to 9.4 (58).
Jye Menzie, who last year kicked a goal after the siren to hand the under-18 Devils victory against Bendigo, had a set shot from 40m out on a slight angle with just over two minutes left but his effort landed short and was punched through for a rushed behind.
Launceston was able to sweep the ball into its forward 50 and lock it in until the final seconds ran off the clock, improving to 5-0 ahead of a clash with Clarence next weekend.
“We knew coming off a bye and with some momentum after beating Lauderdale here that they would be a real handful,” Blues coach Mitch Thorp said.
“We are not surprised one bit.
“The guys really showed some maturity after the slow start, this time last year we couldn’t reign the momentum back in, they beat us last year.
“To just do enough and be classy there for a 12-minute patch in the third where ‘Dil’ got off the leash and kicked four, we just put enough of a gap in the game where every time they got back into it, we were able to gain enough momentum.
“I’m really proud and pleased with the result.”
The hosts got the jump with a three-goals-to-one opening stanza but it was the Blues who controlled proceedings in the second term without capitalising.
Thorp and Brendan Taylor both missed gettable set shots and despite leading the inside 50m count 21-12 — and keeping North Hobart scoreless — Launceston was still behind at the main break.
After the interval the contest opened up, and with Riley latching onto some silver service the visitors had the Dees on the ropes after skipping 17 points clear.
North dug deep to respond but ultimately came up just short.
“We were brave, absolutely. There was a time where they kicked 17 points clear and we could have rolled over,” coach Richard Robinson said.
“But to our credit, we were running on the top of the ground right to the end.”
Both teams have injury concerns, with Tim Bristow tearing his hamstring early in the match and Jayden Charlton hurting an AC joint/shoulder in a heavy collision in the third quarter which set the tone for Demons’ rally.
Jack Donnellan kicked two goals and was among Launceston’s best alongside Riley, Fletcher Seymour and Jay Blackberry, while Troy Cunliffe was superb again through the middle for North Hobart, ruckman Hamish Allan got the better of Tim Auckland and Bailey Walker kept the dangerous Thorp in check.
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