Above: Scorpion youngster Kyle Mathews gets dispossessed as he tries to break through a wall of Port Melbourne opponents at Casey Fields on Sunday.By Marc McGowan
THE Casey Scorpions are finally back on the winners’ list after an impressive 24-point win over Port Melbourne at Casey Fields on Sunday.
The Scorpions have endured a frustrating season thanks largely to their AFL-affiliate St Kilda’s bad injury run.
Rather than losing more players on the weekend, Casey regained the services of Saints’ trio David Armitage, Shane Birss and Matthew Ferguson.
The victory ended a four-game losing skid and was the Scorpions’ second triumph of 2007, on top of their round-three draw with Williamstown.
There were indications heading into the contest that it could be Casey’s day, with the Borough heading to Cranbourne without ruckman Adrian Bonaddio and key defenders and ex-AFL players Luke Livingston and John Baird.
St Kilda-listed big man Barry Brooks opened the scoring, following a free kick with a goal from 25 metres, before Tim Hazell quickly levelled the scores with a major of his own.
Port Melbourne held sway from then on through another two six-pointers and it took some Kyle Mathews brilliance late in the term to produce the Scorpions’ second goal.
That was all Casey could muster from the first stanza as Port Melbourne took a one-goal buffer into the second period.
But with Mathews continuing to excel, 2006 best-and-fairest David Biagi setting up well from defence and captain Nigel Carmody dominating the clearances – as well as doing an excellent blanketing job on dual Liston trophy winner David Robbins – the Scorpions grabbed the ascendancy.
Saints Andrew McQualter and Justin Sweeney bagged the first two majors of the second quarter to give Casey a well-deserved lead.
Unfortunately for the Scorpions their dominance all over the field was not recognised as they kicked three straight behinds that allowed the Borough to work itself back into the game.
Julian Rowe was the first to kick-start the Port Melbourne revival before Brooks gave away a silly 50-metre penalty that allowed David Fanning to slot a long goal.
Despite Fergus Watts pegging one back for Casey, two goals to Matthew Smith, one of a host of ex-AFL stars in the Borough squad, and singles to Tom Langford and Robin Nahas in time-on gave the visitors a handy 21-point advantage at half-time.
That quickly changed after the break, with Watts starting the Scorpions’ run within minutes of the restart.
More missed chances followed, but Sweeney, Armitage, Ben Fraser and Biagi all scored maximum points as Casey suddenly surged ahead by 13.
David Pitt managed Port Melbourne’s sole goal of the term to settle his team, but the Scorpions were becoming an unstoppable force.
Another poor miss by Watts at the start of the final stanza threatened to derail the Casey cause, particularly after Jeremy Dukes sliced the margin back to two points early on, but the Scorpions fought on.
Watts may have been the villain moments earlier, but he was quickly forgiven by the Casey faithful after kicking his third from a ball-up, 15 metres out, and the home side never looked like losing from that stage.
The Scorpions peppered the sticks until Fraser capped an outstanding display by kicking a booming goal to stretch the lead out to 19.
Birss sealed the win with his first and Armitage made sure of it with his second.
The only downside was Casey’s reserves cruelly being denied by a kick after the siren that left them winless through nine encounters.
It did not dim the joy of Scorpions’ coach Peter Banfield, however, and he was relieved to be able to sing the song again.
“We really thought we dominated the entire game and it was just us making errors, especially in the second quarter with our foot skills, that let Port Melbourne into the game,” he said.
“At half-time, I really focused on eliminating skill errors and I thought our second-half ball use was really good and we didn’t make the errors we did in the first half.”
Banfield also had little sympathy for Port Melbourne’s injury losses before the battle.
“No doubt that would have hurt them. I know how they’re feeling because it’s been happening to me all season, but finally a bit of luck went our way,” he said.
Casey will be out to claim another scalp – and enact revenge for its round-one loss – when it faces the North Ballarat Roosters at Ballarat on Saturday at 2pm.
