By ROY WARD
FIRST there was excitement, then nerves and finally disappointment as Dingley fell one point short of upsetting undefeated East Brighton at Souter Oval in the Southern Football League division 1 on Saturday.
Entering the final term the Dingoes were three goals ahead but faced a fightback from the league leaders, who bolted out to a 13-point lead late in the term.
But the Dingoes fought back, kicking two goals in the final two minutes and leaving themselves 30 seconds to scrounge the win. Unfortunately they couldn’t get the ball forward and went away empty-handed.
Dingoes coach Shane Morwood said his team was despondent after the game but should take confidence from pushing the best side in the league so close to defeat.
“It was shattering to lose by a point, especially to the only undefeated team in the competition,” he said. “I’m biased, but I think we were the better team and played good pressure football all day.”
Morwood said his young side had shown it could match it with anyone in the competition and still had plenty to play for as they sit just a game outside of fifth place.
“We will take some self-belief from this game. It showed that when we are switched on we can compete with anyone. This shows they can produce the mindset to play at this level week in and week out. Now we need to work on continuing that mindset, starting with our game against Heatherton this round.”
Dingoes ruckman Chris Morgan was named best player, joined by half-back Jack Clausen and Dean Andrews, who kept East Brighton star Dean Francis to one goal, which came from a downfield free kick, and very few possessions.
With the battle for the top five staying close, Morwood said his players had little time to lick their wounds before facing Heatherton.
“We really can’t afford to falter in any game for the rest of the season. This game is a must-win for us.”
SFL division 1 ladder: East Brighton 36 points, 225.00 per cent; Cheltenham 28, 190.61; Chelsea Heights 28, 148.57; St Paul’s 20, 118.97; St Kilda City 20, 115.21; Clayton 20, 89.30; Dingley 16, 109.45; Highett 4, 65.48; Heatherton 4, 44.50; Mordialloc 4, 36.96.
FINAL SCORES
Victorian Football League: Casey Scorpions, bye.
TAC Cup: Dandenong Stingrays 10.14 (70) d Bendigo Pioneers 5.4 (34).
Southern Football League: Division 1: Chelsea Heights 13.15 (93) d Heatherton 3.3 (21); Clayton 18.11 (119) d Mordialloc 5.4 (34); East Brighton 9.15 (69) d Dingley 11.2 (68).
Division 2: Bentleigh 27.14 (176) d Southern Dragons 7.9 (51); Skye 12.14 (86) d Oakleigh District 8.11 (59); Murrumbeena 19.16 (130) d Springvale Districts 10.5(65).
Division 3: Caulfield 13.11 (89) d Hallam 12.12 (84); Sandown 16.9 (105) d Dandenong 9.8 (62); Ashwood 14.7 (91) d Endeavour Hills 8.14 (62); Doveton Eagles 24.16 (160) d Lyndale 8.8 (56); Mount Waverley 15.10(100) d Moorabbin 12.15 (87).
Eastern Football League: Division 1: Vermont 21.12 (138) d Lilydale 10.15 (75); Scoresby 14.17 (101) d East Burwood 14.10 (94); Knox 15.17 (107) d Blackburn 7.12 (54); East Ringwood 13.18 (96) d South Croydon 13.7 (85); Norwood 12.12 (84) d Croydon 9.11 (65); Noble Park, Balwyn bye.
Division 2: Bayswater 22.21 (153) d Waverley Blues 8.5 (53); Donvale 14.12 (96) d Rowville 9.13 (67); Montrose 28.19 (187) d Upper Ferntree Gully 9.9(63); Mooroolbark 19.17 (131) d Mulgrave 12.6 (78).
Division 3: Boronia 14.19 (103) d Warrandyte 4.7(31); Heathmont 18.14 (122) d Coldstream 11.9(75); Templestowe 12.9 (81) d Ringwood 8.7 (55); Mitcham 9.13 (67) d Whitehorse Pioneers 7.9 (51); North Ringwood 19.6 (120) d Chirnside Park 10.11(71); Glen Waverley Hawks 16.10 (106) d Wantirna South 9.15(69).
Division 4: Kilsyth 12.16 (88) d Ferntree Gully 5.13(43); South Belgrave 14.10 (94) d Forest Hill 13.8(86); The Basin 39.20 (254) d Park Orchards 11.11 (77); Silvan 16.12 (108) d Eastern Lions 7.10(52); Nunawading 16.17 (113) d Canterbury 12.12(84).
Casey Cardinia Football League: Cranbourne 25.16(166) d ROC 7.5 (47); Beaconsfield 26.25 (181) d Hampton Park 2.3 (15); Narre Warren 31.15 (201) d Doveton 5.6 (36); Keysborough 13.10 (88) d Pakenham 5.13 (43); Tooradin-Dalmore 12.6 (78) d Berwick 10.15 (75).
For full results, click on the Greater Dandenong Latest Sport Results at upper right.
THIS WEEK
Victorian Football League: Sandringham v Casey Scorpions, Trevor Barker Beach Oval 1.10pm.
TAC Cup: Dandenong Stingrays v Northern Knights, Shepley Oval 1pm.
Southern Football League: Division 1: East Brighton v Clayton, Hurlingham Reserve 2pm; Dingley v Heatherton, Souter Oval 2pm.
Division 2: South Yarra v Springvale Districts, Fritsch Holzer Park 2pm; Black Rock v Southern Dragons, McDonald Reserve 2pm; Murrumbeena v Oakleigh District, Murrumbeena Park 2pm.
Division 3: Ashwood v Sandown, Essex Heights Reserve 2pm; Dandenong v Hallam, Greaves Reserve 2pm; Mount Waverley v Lyndale, Mayfield Reserve 2pm; Doveton Eagles v Endeavour Hills, Power Reserve 2pm.
Eastern Football League: Division 1: South Croydon v Norwood, Cheong Park 2.10pm; East Burwood v Knox, East Burwood Reserve 2.10pm; East Ringwood v Vermont, East Ringwood Reserve 2.10pm; Croydon v Balwyn, Hughes Park 2.10pm; Blackburn v Scoresby, Morton Park 2.10pm; Noble Park v Lilydale, Pat Wright Senior Oval 2.10pm.
Division 2: Mooroolbark v Doncaster East, Heights Reserve 2.10pm; Upper Ferntree Gully v Rowville, Kings Park 2.10pm; Montrose v Bayswater, Montrose Reserve 2.10pm; Mulgrave v Donvale, Mulgrave Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster v Waverley Blues, Schramms Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 3: Coldstream v Glen Waverley Hawks, Coldstream Reserve 2.10pm; Ringwood v Mitcham, Jubilee Park 2.10pm; Chirnside Park v Warrandyte, Kimberley Reserve 2.10pm; Templestowe v Boronia, Templestowe Reserve 2.10pm; Whitehorse Pioneers v Heathmont, Walker Park 2.10pm; Wantirna South v North Ringwood, Walker Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 4: The Basin v Forest Hill, Batterham Reserve 2.10pm; South Belgrave v Canterbury, Belgrave South Recreation Reserve 2.10pm; Park Orchards v Eastern Lions, Domeney Reserve 2.10pm; Kilsyth v Silvan, Pinks Reserve 2.10pm; Surrey Park v Nunawading, Surrey Park Reserve 2.10pm; Ferntree Gully, bye.
Casey Cardinia Football League: ROC v Cranbourne, Officer Recreation Reserve, 2.15pm; Beaconsfield v Hampton Park, Perc Allison Oval, 2.15pm; Doveton v Narre Warren, Robinson Oval, 2.15pm; Keysborough v Pakenham, Rowley Allen Reserve, 2.15pm; Tooradin-Dalmore v Berwick, Tooradin Recreation Reserve, 2.15pm.
All games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.
