Above: Dingley star Clinton Brooks takes control of the ball in Saturday’s clash with Lyndale.By Paul Pickering
GALVANISED by the death of one the club’s favourite sons, Dingley rode a wave of emotion towards a nine-goal first quarter at Lyndale in their Southern Football League Division Two match on Saturday.
Having observed a minute’s silence in memory of perennial clubman Paul Fairlie – who died on 6 July in a workplace accident in Queensland – the Dingoes were relentless in the opening term as they surged to a 49-point lead at the first break.
After his side suffered an emotional letdown in the second quarter, Dingley coach Adam Quinn implored his troops to refocus at half-time.
They responded with a seven-goal-to-zero third quarter, showcasing an attractive brand of free-flowing football.
The Dingoes’ superior class and creativity was typified by a passage of play in which Brett GNiel cheekily slapped the ball between his legs to Tim Frost, who wheeled onto his left foot to pinpoint Bret Lavars for the impeccable finish.
The Pumas managed to stop the bleeding in the last quarter, with Francois Bignoux and Ryan Johns among the best for the home side.
For Quinn, who booted five goals of his own despite close checking from Carmelo Giauquinta, an even spread of goalkickers and an emerging run-and-carry style provided reason for optimism.
“The bye last week couldn’t have come at a better time, it was like a mid-season break for us to freshen up,” he said.
“Now we’re really looking towards the game against Springvale Districts (on 18 August).”
The Dingoes are back at Souter Oval to take on Hampton this week.
Bouncing back will be no mean feat for the Pumas as they host Springvale Districts in the battle for the Springvale RSL Cup.
Demons dominate dull duel
IF there is such a thing as a lacklustre 66-point win, it was exactly that for Springvale Districts against the lowly Murrumbeena.
Demon coach Stephen Hughes conceded that it wasn’t much of a spectacle at Kangaroo Road, but was happy enough to extend the streak to 12 wins.
Their unbeaten record was never really threatened after taking a three-goal lead at quarter time.
Demon spearhead Mark Williams booted five for the day, while Mark Charles was dominant in the first half taking a series of contested marks and snaring two goals.
The most promising aspect of the day for Hughes was the successful experiment with Mick Odachowski down back.
The skipper was best afield and looks set to marshal the troops from centre half-back for the remainder of the season.
With the Demons reigning supreme in top spot, Hughes is keen to try a few different things in the lead-up to the finals.
“We don’t want to stand still, today was a good opportunity to try out a few set plays that we’ve been working on at training,” he said.
“Depth is probably our strongest point at the club and there’s going to be more opportunities for our young players in the next couple of weeks.”
