Remonstrations and retaliations almost provided Warragul Industrials with the ultimate reality check after the Dusties survived an after-the-siren shot at goal to defeat Cora Lynn by four points at Western Park on Saturday.
Just seven days after coughing up a 31-point lead on the same patch of dirt against Inverloch-Kongwak, the Dusties almost suffered a similar fate after extending their advantage to 27 points at the 21-minute mark of the third quarter.
But a bizarre set of circumstances saw the Cobras kick six of the last eight goals to almost steal victory from the jaws of defeat.
A shot after the final siren from Cora Lynn midfielder Heath Briggs drifted left of its intended target, ending a strange last-quarter battle with the scoreboard reading 8.16(64) to 9.6(60) in favour of the Dusties.
The Dusties made one change for the clash with Aaron Mitchell making way for promising youngster Cody Templeton – who would play a leading role in the last-quarter goings on – while Luke Hartley and Max McDermott were important inclusions for the Cobras.
The first quarter was very much a ho-hum affair, with goals to Nic Visser and Tim Hancock answered by Chris Inverno leading to a 12-point advantage to the Dusties at the first break.
The home side had the advantage of the wind, but wasted opportunities; kicking 2.6 to 1.0 in the opening exchanges.
Back-to-back goals to full-forward Nathan Gardiner gave the Cobras the lead at the 16-minute mark of the second stanza, before Templeton converted to give the home side a six-point lead at half time.
Just six goals had been kicked for the half…three each; it was hardly flattering stuff.
Dusties coach Bobby McCallum obviously got his point across at the main break with the Dusties dominating play in the first 20 minutes of the third quarter.
Hancock kicked his second of the afternoon after some great build up play from Goy Lok before Will Gibson nailed a set shot to make it 18 points the difference after 11 minutes.
And when smooth-moving youngster Jarrod West kicked a ripper on the run, 10 minutes later, the Dusties looked home after four-consecutive goals had led to a 27-point advantage.
The Cobras did have the wind at their back in the final term and a late third-quarter goal to Will Stephenson gave them hope of a last-quarter revival.
Gardiner then shook free of his shadow for the day, Kyan Willis, to kick his third for the game, early in the last quarter; either side of kickable chances to McCallum and Bailey Beck, to make it 16 points the difference.
But when both McCallum and Beck made amends for their earlier misgivings the Dusties were back out to a seemingly match-winning 29-point margin.
Briggs then cut things back to 22 points, 19 minutes into the last, but the Cobras were still a long way off the mark.
They needed serious help and it came in the form of those aforementioned remonstrations and retaliations from the Dusties.
There soon became a sport within a sport, with the Dusties losing the focus that had seem them hold the majority upper hand for 85-percent of the contest.
The sport within a sport was ‘protecting Templeton’ who became the unintended centrepiece of the Cobras revival.
At the 22-minute mark Templeton was tackled high by Nathan Villella in the centre of the ground, with the decision reversed after Templeton and Lok remonstrated with the tackler.
The ball was quickly out of Villella’s hands and into the mits of Lachie Coverdale who found Matt Ryan on the lead.
The key forward cut the margin to 17 points with an extraordinary set shot from 45-metres out on the boundary.
But the Cobras still required help…and this time it was Todd Beck who was more than happy to oblige.
Templeton won the centre clearance after Ryan’s goal but was brought down in a great tackle by Stephenson…with the ball spilling into the hands of Beck.
The Dusties midfielder then inexplicably dropped the ball; resulting in 50 metres…every single day of the week.
He then compounded his mistake by remonstrating, with a second 50-metre penalty taking Stephenson to the top of the goalsquare.
The Cobras had nailed two goals in 90 seconds resulting in an 11-point deficit with 24 minutes ticked by.
Dusties recruit Jordan Butera then intercepted a Dusties release from their forward 50 and nailed a set shot – almost identically following Ryan’s footsteps – to cut the margin to five points at the 26-minute mark of the last.
The Dusties were simply hanging on by now, but a brilliant tackle by Bailey Beck saw the ball enter the home side’s 50-metre arc.
Visser had control of the ball, but an earlier indiscretion by Templeton saw a downfield free-kick paid to Cora Lynn defender Jett Edwards.
An absorbing 30 minutes had already ticked by…but the next passage of play was probably the pick of the bunch.
Five-points down, Edwards took a risk, sizzling a kick towards Matt Briggs who accepted at centre-half-back.
Briggs fired off a handball to a running Inverno, who kicked to the entrance-side wing at Western Park to let his runners go to work.
Matt Butera won the important ball, finding Hartley, who then found Villella inside 50.
Villella had decisions to make.
Did he have a shot at goal or handball to Harrison Paul, who was inexplicably loose just metres out from goal in the forward pocket?
He chose the Paul option, who then looked to handball to Coverdale…who was also loose at the top of the goalsquare.
How were the Cobras allowed to roam so free at such a critical moment in the match?
The Dusties then copped a reprieve; their second in three minutes as it would turn out, when defender Sam Russell jumped high into the air to intercept Paul’s handball.
It was one of the truly great saves of the season!
Paul, frustrated, then laid a head-high tackle on Russell who cleared the ball for what he hoped would be the final time of the match.
But it wasn’t, and the final moments had one more twist and turn to deliver.
Jeremy Monckton, a multiple premiership player at Cora Lynn – and now wearing the colours of Warragul Industrials – laid a tackle on former teammate Heath Briggs that the umpire deemed a free kick for holding the man.
Briggs, with Monckton on the mark, lined up for goal as the final siren sounded.
From 45-metres out, directly in front, with the wind at his back, he pulled the kick slightly left…saving the Dusties bacon for the second time in minutes.
Hancock was the only multiple goal-scorer for the winners with two, while Bailey Beck, Gibson, Templeton, Visser and West were all key components in the victory.
But it was Willis who played the leading role, keeping Gardiner to three after the star full-forward booted nine against the Dusties at Western Park in round 17 last year.
Heath Briggs, Gus Da Costa, Stephenson, Villella and Jordan Butera were terrific for the Cobras…who left their run just a little too late.
