By Roy Ward
NOBLE Park reserves overcame a bout of finals nerves to set up a major semi-final date with undefeated Vermont this Saturday.
At Bayswater Oval on Saturday, the Bulls trailed Knox Falcons by 13 points at half-time in their Eastern Football League division 1 reserves qualifying final but fought back in the second half to win by 11 points.
Bulls reserves coach Benn Logan praised his players for their second-half performance, with the Bulls kicking six goals to just two from the Falcons.
“In the first half I think the boys were a little unsure of themselves on playing in the finals because the reserves boys haven’t been in the finals for some time,” he said.
“So they were a little nervous but they played a great third quarter and in the final quarter really consolidated the result.”
Logan said the Bulls players kept faith in their game plan, allowing them to regain control of the match.
“At half-time the talk was mainly about keeping to structures and the game plan. I think a few blokes were ball-chasing in the first half. Keeping to our positions allowed us to have people hit up and then play through big Ray Lengyel at centre half-forward.”
The Bulls now have a chance to take the early berth in the grand final if they can hand Vermont its first loss in 2012.
“We played them in the last round and got pretty close, so that has given us the belief we can beat them,” Logan said.
The Bulls’ best were Nathan Brown, Tom Brennan and Richard Minney. Logan also praised his whole back line, led by Brown and Brennan, for keeping them in the game early.
“Our success this year is really a tribute to the club. Players want to play here.
The Bulls reserves play Vermont at Bayswater Oval this Saturday at 11.45am.
Noble Park seniors played Balwyn in an EFL division 1 elimination final late yesterday with the match finishing after the Weekly deadline.
Victorian Football League:
Casey Scorpions v Werribee Tigers played yesterday.
TAC Cup:
Qualifying final, Gippsland Power 12.5 (77) d Dandenong Stingrays 9.12 (66); Elimination final, Oakleigh Chargers 18.11 (119) d Calder Cannons 14.14 (98).
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Qualifying final, Chelsea Heights 15.15 (105) d St Paul’s 7.8 (50); Reserves, St Paul’s 10.9 (69) d Chelsea Heights 7.5 (47); Elimination final, Dingley v Cheltenham, played yesterday; Reserves, Cheltenham 11.13 (79) d Clayton 10.9 (69).
Division 2: Qualifying final, Skye 12.8 (80) d Oakleigh District 10.10 (70); Reserves, Oakleigh District 14.11 (95) d Skye 5.10 (40); Elimination final, Bentleigh v Murrumbeena played yesterday; Reserves, Hampton 17.12 (114) d Murrumbeena 1.4 (10).
Division 3: Qualifying final, Moorabbin 9.10 (64) d Sandown 8.5 (53); Reserves, Mount Waverley 13.10 (88) d Ashwood 3.2 (20); Elimination final, Mt Waverley v Ashwood played yesterday; Reserves, Moorabbin 11.12 (78) d Doveton Eagles 8.11 (59).
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: Qualifying final, Vermont 16.7 (103) d Scoresby 8.15 (63); Reserves; Qualifying final, Noble Park 8.6 (54) d Knox 6.7 (43); Elimination final, Noble Park v Balwyn played yesterday; Reserves, East Ringwood 6.10 (46) d Norwood 5.6 (36).
Casey Cardinia Football League:
Qualifying final, Cranbourne 22.22 (154) d Tooradin-Dalmore 9.9 (63). Elimination final, Beaconsfield v Berwick played yesterday.
For all results and semi-finals details, click on Greater DAndenong Latest Sport Results link at upper right.
Victorian Football League:
Semi-finals.
TAC Cup:
Elimination semi-final, Dandenong Stingrays v Oakleigh Chargers, Visy Park, Carlton, Sunday 1.45pm.
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Semi-final 2, East Brighton v Chelsea Heights, Meade Reserve, Clayton 2pm; Reserves, Reserves, Dingley v St Paul’s, Meade Reserve 11.45am; Elimination semi-final, St Paul’s v Dingley or Cheltenham, Meade Reserve Sunday 2pm; Reserves, Chelsea Heights v Cheltenham, Meade Reserve Sunday 11.45am.
Division 2: Semi-final 2, East Malvern v Skye, Jack Barker Oval, Sandringham 2pm; Reserves, Bentleigh v Oakleigh District, Jack Barker Oval, Sandringham, 11.45am; Elimination semi-final, Oakleigh District v Bentleigh or Murrumbeena, Jack Barker Oval, Sandringham Sunday; Reserves, Skye v Hampton, Sunday 11.45am.
Division 3: Semi-final 2, Doveton Eagles v Moorabbin, Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc 2pm; Reserves, Sandown v Mt Waverley, Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc 11.45am; Elimination semi-final, Sandown v Mt Waverley or Ashwood, Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc Sunday 2pm; Reserves, Ashwood v Moorabbin, Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc Sunday 11.45am.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: Semi-final 2, Norwood v Vermont, Bayswater Oval, 2.10pm; Reserves, Vermont v Noble Park, 11.45am; Elimination semi-final, Scoresby v Noble Park or Balwyn, Tormore Reserve, Sunday 2.10pm; Reserves, Knox v East Ringwood, Sunday 11.45am.
Casey Cardinia Football League: Semi-final 2, Narre Warren v Cranbourne, ground tba 2.15pm; Elimination semi-final, Tooradin-Dalmore v Beaconsfield or Berwick, ground tba, Sunday 2.15pm.
Games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.
