By David Nagel
Beaconsfield’s two-game winning streak in Eastern Division One has come to an abrupt end at the hands of an impressive Montrose at Holm Park Reserve on Saturday.
The Eagles kicked the first two goals of the match but were then outpointed by Gary Ayres’ Demons who prevailed by 47 points, 12.10.82 to 5.5.35.
Anticipation was high heading into this clash, with Beaconsfield, third, taking on the second-placed Demons in front of senior premiership players from 1953 and 2003.
Max Excell – the last surviving member of Beaconsfield’s first-ever premiership in 1953 – was in attendance.
Beaconsfield coach Mick Fogarty had his players fired up in the changerooms prior to the match.
“Embrace the challenge, embrace the pressure of a big game of football,” a passionate Fogarty said to his team before they ran out.
And his Eagles responded early, with Tylah Stokoe winning the first clearance of the match.
Jake Bowd and Hayden Brough both missed chances to the Holm Park Road end of the ground as a light breeze blew towards the outer wing.
It took nine minutes for Michael Cameron to post the Eagles first, with a set shot, before Brough and Bowd combined for the second.
Brough gathered cleanly on the run and delivered a polished left-foot pass to Bowd, who finished clinically with his trusty left boot.
The Eagles led 2.2 to 0.2 after 20 minutes of play.
Several ‘tiggy touch-wood’ free kicks were paid in the opening stanza with the men in light-green determined to make their mark.
Bowd (high left leg) and back-up ruck Casey Wassylko (left ribs) both left the ground towards the end of the first term in worrying signs for Fogarty.
And his mood wasn’t lightened after a late goal to Michael Schwab gave the Demons some reward for a strong finish to the first quarter.
It was the Eagles by six at the first break.
“Boys, our DNA, our pressure all over the ground, started to drop off and our energy through the midfield needs to lift,” Fogarty pleaded passionately.
Ayres, meanwhile, was equally clear and concise.
“We’re winning the ball, we just need to be clear with our decision making…then concentrate on the execution,” he said.
Centre half back Beau Tennant then did exactly that, winning the ball with a strong grab at wing/half forward, before executing perfectly and patiently to full-forward Tyron Galbraith, who slotted the first of his five goals.
Bowd answered on the run, before the Demons dictated terms in an important five-minute passage of play.
Galbraith kicked his second, via a free kick, before Dan Chamberlin kicked a ripper on the breeze from the resultant centre clearance.
And when Brad Watson kicked the Demons third in four minutes, from a set shot, the visitors were 14 points up…14 minutes into the second.
At the same time, the Eagles suffered a real body blow with starting ruck Paddy Gerdan leaving the field with a left hammy, while his back-up, Wassylko, followed closely with a badly-bleeding broken nose.
Bowd marked and goaled a short-time later, and the scoreboard probably flattered the Eagles who trailed 27-34 at the major interval.
Gerdan started the third, but only lasted three minutes, with Jafar Ocaa – who was being well-held by Tennant – assuming the ruck responsibilities, alongside a brave Wassylko.
Montrose kicked out to a 13-point lead, thirty seconds into the third, before Michael Misso found space in the forward 50 to cut the margin back to seven.
That goal, at the eight-minute mark of the third quarter – would be the Eagles last six-pointer for the contest!
Montrose would kick the last six goals of the match, after the pressure increased enormously 10 minutes into the third.
Both teams gave their all, trying to break the others spirit with ferocious tackling and pressure…and it was the Demons who prevailed in the most critical period of the match.
Galbraith somehow steered through a mongrel punt, before the Demons’ ninth proved the killer blow.
Beaconsfield’s pressure had resulted in a free-kick on the outer wing, with the resultant 20-metre kick missing its target – causing a turnover – and then a dropped chest-mark at the top of the goal-square allowed Galbraith to stroll in for his fourth.
The margin was 21 points – 19 minutes into the third – but it felt like a hell of a lot more!
It was basically game over from that point forward, with the Demons kicking four more unanswered goals for the match.
Galbraith kicked five for the winners, and Sam Rickard three, while Bowd matched that total with three of his own for the hosts.
Brandon White was magnificent for the Eagles down back, taking intercept marks for fun, and the damage would have been far greater in his absence.
Josh Mounter and Harrison Coe were also effective down back, while Wassylko was brave in the second half after the heavy knock to his nose.
The Eagles, who fell from third to fifth – with a percentage drop of 12 – will look to repair the damage when they hit the road this week to take on eighth-placed North Ringwood.
BEACONSFIELD 2.2 4.3 5.3 5.5(35)
MONTROSE 1.2 5.4 9.7 12.10(82)
Beaconsfield Goals: J. Bowd 3, M. Misso, M. Cameron. Best: B. White, J. Bowd, J. Mounter, C. Wassylko, H. Coe, M. Misso.
Montrose Goals: T. Galbraith 5, S. Rickard 3, M. Schwab 2, D. Chamberlin, B. Watson. Best: T. Galbraith, B. Dessent, J. Mentiplay, B. Tennant, G. Lord, S. Rickard.
Other Results R7: South Belgrave 14.12.96 def Mooroolbark 12.8.80, Croydon 8.11.59 def by Mitcham 12.13.85, North Ringwood 5.13.43 def Bayswater 6.6.42, Wantirna South 18.11.119 def Lilydale 12.9.81.
Ladder: South Belgrave 28, Montrose 20, Mitcham 20, Wantirna South 16, Beaconsfield 16, Mooroolbark 12, Bayswater 12, North Ringwood 12, Croydon 4, Lilydale 0.
Fixture R8: Bayswater (7) v Wantirna South (4), Mooroolbark (6) v Mitcham (3), Lilydale (10) v South Belgrave (1), Montrose (2) v Croydon (9), North Ringwood (8) v Beaconsfield (5).
