Burra on the right track

By Brad Kingsbury
KEYSBOROUGH signalled that it would be a serious player in the battle for this year’s Casey Cardinia league premiership with a convincing 32-point victory over a rejuvenated Beaconsfield at the Rowley Reserve on Saturday.
The form of young forwards Tyson King (five goals) and Matthew Freeman (four) excited the Burra faithful as the side upped their work rate in the second half to secure the important win.
Beaconsfield coach Robbie Taylor was not critical of his developing young side after the loss to the 2007 finalists, saying that the positives to be taken from the match outweighed the negatives.
“They were just first to the footy after half time,” he said. “To our credit I think we stuck to it and gave a good account of ourselves in the last quarter. We could easily have dropped away and lost by nine or 10 goals so that’s a positive.”
The wind was blowing across the ground but favouring the Cheltenham Road end in the first half, before swinging to blow almost directly across the ground towards the clubrooms after the main break.
Keysborough looked to have the edge in height and experience around the ground but the Eagles took it up to the home side early in the game, making the ball their objective and consistently winning contested possession through Justin Duffy, Daniel Mislicki and Ash Comer.
The Burra surged several times in the opening half with Tyson King, Luke McGuinness and Matt Freeman all looking dangerous around goal, but they could not shake off the visitors.
Beaconsfield missed injured goal kicker Luke McConnell but Michael Coates, Andrew Williams and centre half forward Daniel Battaglin contributed well to keep pace with the Burra and at half time the scores were locked at 64 points apiece.
The complexion changed almost immediately after the break with the Burra showing much more urgency in their game.
Despite ruckman Shaun Witherden being reported and sent from the ground for a striking offence at the nine-minute mark, Keysborough was on a roll and booted four unanswered goals in the 15-minute period that it was one short.
Young star Tyson King kicked two and had a hand in the other two, proving himself under extreme pressure and leading from the front. The difference was 32 points at the final change and, despite Beaconsfield keeping at it in the last quarter, fatigue and rain combined to thwart any chance of a comeback.
Younger Burra runners including Kris Fowler, Karl Schoenmaekers, Mick Downie and Daniel Born were full of run, while Beaconsfield’s Damien Szwaja, Nick Smith and Joel Gibson showed enough to suggest the future was bright at the Perc Allison Reserve.
Keysborough coach Greg Siwes praised classy trio Shaun Daly, Clinton King and Williams Gayfer for lifting and said it was one of his best wins at the club.
“It’s one of the best wins I’ve been involved in here. To be even at half time and kick on was very pleasing,” he said. “I thought we were second to the ball in the first half and I put that to them at half time. It was a test of character and if we want to be a fair dinkum chance (this year) these are the sort of games you have to win.”
In other round three action, Narre Warren defeated Berwick by 32 points and Doveton smashed Devon Meadows by 99 points on Anzac Day.
Pakenham and Cranbourne also recorded victories over ROC and Tooradin respectively.