By David Nagel
Beaconsfield’s propensity for playing Russian-Roulette with close finishes has finally backfired with the Eagles falling heartbreakingly short of victory against North Ringwood at Quambee Reserve on Saturday.
The Eagles surrendered five-unanswered goals – late in the second quarter and all the way through the third – to ultimately fall short by two points…7.9.51 to 7.7.49 in their Eastern Division One clash.
This was Beaconsfield’s third game decided by less than 10 points this year, with earlier wins against Mooroolbark (51-44) and Wantirna South (68-60) having the Eagles flying high in a top-three position.
This loss, following last week’s defeat at the hands of Montrose, has Mick Fogarty’s men now clinging to fifth place on the ladder.
The Eagles made four changes heading into the contest, with ruck Paddy Gerdan (hamstring) and his support-system Casey Wassylko (broken nose) both sitting on the sidelines, with Jake Stuart missing and Ethan Harris dropped to the twos.
Mitch Summers returned for his second game for the season, filling the big shoes of Gerdan and Wassylko, while Ben Schultze, Declan Curran and Kye Rowland were the remaining three inclusions.
Schultze became the 33rd senior player to pull on an Eagles jumper this year.
The Eagles weathered an early storm from the Saints, who were inaccurate in front of goal, before Jafar Ocaa opened the six-point scoring after finding space at the back of the Saints’ defence.
Schultze then did likewise, finding himself closest to goal once again, and the Eagles had two on the board after 11 minutes of play.
The Eagles led by 11 points at quarter time, which was cut back early in the second term by Saints’ small forward Luke Patterson.
Beaconsfield then took control of the match, with Ocaa kicking two – after some great play from Matt Wilson, Jake Bowd and Hayden Brough – before Bowd put the icing on a five-minute cake that had the Eagles four goals up at the 15-minute mark of the second term.
For all intents and purposes…the Eagles were right on top!
But a dubious free-kick to big-man Matt Cullinan gave the Saints a sprinkling of momentum heading to the main break.
The home side cashed in that momentum in the third, with a long goal to Robin Nahas sparking the Saints into action.
Harrison Coe, who was playing solidly in defence, then gifted Jayden Van Unen with an infringement in the ruck and the Saints were up and about.
They hit the front after Aaron Fenton kicked a monster goal on the breeze, and capped off a dominant third stanza when Matt Sheppard stuck a tackle and had Brandon White holding the ball.
The Eagles were now chasing, with their 16-point buffer at the main break now a seven-point deficit at three-quarter time.
Beaconsfield defender Trent Stokoe dodged an early bullet in the final term – with a clumsy kick across goal – before the Eagles settled and played the better footy.
Brough found Ocaa, who converted his set shot, and the margin was back to two points after nine minutes of play.
The Eagles now had the momentum, with Coe spending more time in the ruck and winning some decisive hitouts, with Sam Merrick, Damien Johnston and White getting their hands on the footy.
White then stunned the large home crowd with a mammoth set-shot kick, starting his build up from centre wing…that gave the Eagles back the lead.
But the final chapter was still to be told with just minutes left on the clock.
The Saints took back the lead after the awkward kicking action of Ben Sandilands kicked straight and true for the hosts from a tight angle.
Merrick then had the final say of the contest.
Three points behind, he laid a brilliant tackle, full of vigour and desperation on his Saints opponent, winning a free kick on a slight angle…35 metres from goal.
Merrick tugged his kick left, cutting the margin to two, before the siren sounded with the Saints with their noses in front.
Ocaa finished with four for the Eagles, who just couldn’t halt the momentum in the third term.
Coe was terrific, predominantly down back, while White, Johnston, Josh Mounter and Schultze were influential figures around the ground.
There’s no time to ponder the Eagles, who host bottom-placed Lilydale this week at Holm Park Reserve.
NORTH RINGWOOD 0.3 2.6 6.7 7.9(51)
BEACONSFIELD 2.2 5.4 5.6 7.7(49)
North Ringwood Goals: M. Sheppard, L. Patterson, M. Cullinan, J. Van Unen, B. Sandilands, R. Nahas, A. Fenton. Best: M. Locco, B. Livingstone, J. Van Unen, J. Nathan, B. Sandilands, D. Van Unen.
Beaconsfield Goals: J. Ocaa 4, J. Bowd, B. White, B. Schultze. Best: H. Coe, B. White, J. Ocaa, D. Johnston, J. Mounter, B. Schultze.
Other Results R8: Bayswater 8.9(57) def by Wantirna South 15.9(99), Mooroolbark 7.10(52) def by Mitcham 14.18(102), Lilydale 11.4(70) def by South Belgrave 16.11(107), Montrose 13.12(90) def by Croydon 14.17(101), North Ringwood 7.9(51) def Beaconsfield 7.7(49).
Ladder: South Belgrave 32, Mitcham 24, Montrose 20, Wantirna South 20, Beaconsfield 16, North Ringwood 16, Mooroolbark 12, Bayswater 12, Croydon 8, Lilydale 0.
Fixture R9: South Belgrave (1) v Croydon (9), Beaconsfield (5) v Lilydale (10), Mitcham (2) v Bayswater (8), Wantirna South (4) v North Ringwood (6), Mooroolbark (7) v Montrose (3).
