By David Nagel
Beaconsfield skipper Jake Bowd has kicked the definition of a ‘Captain’s’ goal to set up a thrilling seven-point victory over Mooroolbark in the Eastern Division One clash at Heights Reserve on Saturday.
Trailing by five points at the 25-minute-mark of the final term, Bowd snapped from 25-metres out after being the beneficiary of a free kick paid against a Mustangs defender for tapping deliberately out of bounds.
Bowd put his trusty left foot to good use, piercing the big sticks from the boundary line to put his Eagles in front by a point.
Mick Fogarty’s men would maintain that margin until the final siren, with the ball tucked safely in the hands of Jafar Ocaa…60 metres out from goal.
The Mustangs then vented their frustrations with the umpire, giving away a 50-metre penalty after the siren to take Ocaa to the top of the goal-square.
Ocaa’s goal, his second for the contest, was kicked as tempers boiled over and gave the Eagles a 6.15.51 to 6.8.44 triumph.
The Eagles now possess a three-two win-loss record, and have now defeated both Croydon and Mooroolbark away – two fixtures that both resulted in losses last year.
In a competition where the average winning margin is less than 20 points, Saturday’s last-minute escape is rolled-gold for Fogarty and his rapidly-improving football club.
“We probably would have lost that game last year, but I thought we were in control for most of the day but just let them score too easily at times,” Fogarty said.
“We allowed them to transition too easily a couple of times from our forward 50 and they caught us a little on the hop.
“Wins like that, and against Croydon, are great for us because early-season wins are so crucial.
“The elements of a football season, that affect every team, will start to take a hold soon so early wins on the board is really important.
“We’re not just being competitive anymore…we’re learning to close games out.”
Unlike last week’s match against South Belgrave, which resulted in a high-class shootout, Saturday’s game against the Mustangs would prove a hard slog in greasy and slippery conditions.
The Eagles wasted opportunities early in the first term and it took 11 minutes before Bowd would kick truly to give the visitors a 1.3 to 0.0 beginning.
But two quick goals to the home side saw them take a 2.1 to 1.6 advantage at quarter time.
Michael Misso lived up to his surname…missing an easy shot at goal, right on the quarter-time siren, that would have given the Eagles the lead.
It was a kick that summed up the inefficiencies in the first term.
The second quarter was a real slog, with just five shots at goal between the two sides.
It took a classy kick from Brandon White, who found Bowd on the lead, to create the opportunity for the only goal for the quarter.
But the Eagles soon lost their five-point half-time advantage, with Austin Smith and Braedon Doble both kicking truly to give the home side the edge…midway through the third quarter.
Sam Mackinder then positioned himself perfectly in the Eagles front half, intercepting an exit kick and nailing a crucial six-pointer to put the visitors back in the hunt.
Ocaa then slipped out the back of traffic, 25 minutes into the third, to give Fogarty’s men a four-point advantage at the orange break.
White, who was playing a great game in defence, set the scene in the first minute of the final term with a crunching tackle that prevented the Mustangs from scoring.
But it wasn’t long before the Mustangs would take back the lead.
Jett Hartman gave the home-crowd some hope, at the 10-minute mark, with a set shot at goal, before ruck Jess Boyd appeared to kick another two minutes later.
The umpires conferred, and the Eagles survived, with Bowd then missing a gilt-edged opportunity from 20 metres out on the run.
Beaconsfield midfielder Tylah Stokoe then almost produced a coach-killer.
Stokoe was frustrated after being pinged for holding the ball, and put on a late hit on the free-kick recipient Liam George.
The downfield free-kick resulted in an easy shot at goal for Hartman who put the Mustangs in front with just minutes left on the clock.
“We spoke about it a fair bit last year, because we let a game go against Wantirna South through a couple of undisciplined acts, but Tylah just had a bit of a brain fade,” Fogarty explained.
“We’re all on the same page, trying to get better in all areas of the game and that’s one we’ve worked hard to get on top of.
“It was nearly a coach killer…but we got across the line and we learn from it.”
Fogarty and his Eagles then survived, thanks to that ‘Captain’s’ goal from Bowd, to sit third on the ladder, five weeks into the season.
The coach was full of praise for his leader.
“He’s an extraordinary player for us Jake, back or forward, because he’s got the athleticism and smarts, and his craft at either end of the ground is just so valuable for our footy club,” Fogarty said.
“He just gets on with his job but his value is enormous and he proved it again on the weekend.
“Three goals, when we only kicked six…that says it all.”
Bowd and White were crucial for the Eagles, while Josh Mounter was terrific in defence and Sam Merrick and Damien Johnston provided some real grunt through the midfield when the game was on the line in the last quarter.
The Eagles now have consecutive games at home, beginning with a clash against fifth-placed Wantirna South this week before third-placed Montrose descend on Holm Park Reserve.
MOOROOLBARK 2.1 2.3 4.7 6.8(44)
BEACONSFIELD 1.6 2.8 4.11 6.15(51)
Mooroolbark Goals: J. Hartman 2, J. Amiet, A. Smith, B. Dobie, R. Symons. Best: C. Maki, K. Noonan, H. Keeling, A. Smith, R. Crossley, B. Dobie.
Beaconsfield Goals: J. Bowd 3, J. Ocaa 2, S. Mackinder. Best: B. White, P. Gerdan, J. Mounter, J. Bowd, S. Merrick, D. Johnston.
Other Games: South Belgrave 10.8.68 def Bayswater 9.9.63, Croydon 8.7.55 def by North Ringwood 9.4.58, Lilydale 11.6.72 def by Mitcham 13.14.92, Wantirna South 10.6.66 def Montrose 7.11.53.
Ladder: South Belgrave 20, Mitcham 16, Beaconsfield, Montrose, Wantirna South 12, Mooroolbark, Bayswater, North Ringwood 8, Croydon 4, Lilydale 0.
Fixture R6: Beaconsfield (3) v Wantirna South (5), Bayswater (7) v Croydon (9), Lilydale (10) v Mooroolbark (6), Montrose (4) v North Ringwood (8), Mitcham (2) v South Belgrave (1).
