By DAVID NAGEL
PAKENHAM’s Jason Williams and Jason Fisher produced heroic acts in the dying seconds of Saturday’s clash with Berwick to give the Lions a dramatic one-point win at Toomuc Reserve.
Williams put the Lions in front at the 30-minute mark with a clinical set-shot finish before Fisher smothered Berwick’s last-ditch attempt after the final siren.
Those two acts defined the Casey Cardinia Match-of-the-Day but so much more went on.
Berwick led at the first two exchanges before the Lions produced a 3.5 to 0.4 third term to take a 14-point lead into three-quarter time.
Kym Jones was superb in the ruck for the Lions while Nathan Brown had kept Berwick full-forward Nathan Waite goal-less up until that stage.
Waite exploded in the last, kicking three goals to give the Wickers the lead before Williams produced the winner.
A nudge into the back of Andrew Tuck went undetected, and Williams marked 25-metres from goal and calmly slotted, what looked like being the clincher.
Berwick cleared the resultant centre bounce and Jordy Andrews was awarded a free-kick on the siren. A point to draw, a goal to win … but we’ll never know because Fisher leapt high on the mark to make spoil.
The win moves the Lions into fourth position, a spot they can consolidate when they travel to ROC this Saturday afternoon.
BEACONSFIELD rode a dominant second-half to victory, running away from ROC by 63 points at Holm Park Road.
The Eagles struggled to shake off the Kangas in the first half, but showed real maturity, kicking 10 goals to two after half time to jump two places to third on the ladder.
For the Eagles, regular mid-fielder Ben Kerrigan drifted forward with success, booting three for the afternoon, while goal-sneak Troy McDermott matched his team mates return. Hard-nuts Josh Dodsworth and Damien Szwaja were once again influential while the Johnson boys, Daniel and Damien, continue to show their class.
Phil Nanfra’s two goals and the form of Ben Johnson, Aaron Unsworth and Luke Smaluch are all good signs for ROC, heading into another local-derby against Pakenham this weekend.
NARRE Warren tuned up for this week’s block-buster against Cranbourne with an 87-point win over Keysborough.
The Magpies couldn’t crack the Burra in the first half, leading by just 14, before the polish of its stars started to shine. The Magpies cranked things up with an eight-goal third term before a clinical nine-goal finish rounded out proceedings.
Kerem Baskaya with seven goals, and Aaron McIver six, were dominant forces for the Magpies who also had Ryan Morrison, Josh Tonna and ruckman Steve Watson at the top of their game. Davor Rajic kicked four for the Burra while Dean Gentle and Geoff Humphreys never stopped trying.
TOORADIN pushed aside some recent poor form, rolling Doveton by 33-points at Westernport Oval.
The Seagulls, who have been hamstrung with injuries this year, are starting to regain some talent and that showed as Tom Hallinan’s men ran out convincing winners.
Jake O’Donnell led the way for the Gulls, dominating his wing, while Julian Suarez with five goals and Matt Wade and Michael Hobbs with three each were other outstanding contributors. Michael Henry and Daniel Zajac battled hard for the Doves.
CRANBOURNE produced a brilliant 10-goal first term against Hampton Park before cruising to a 130-point win at Robert Booth Reserve.
Skipper Marc Holt was in ominous touch, booting nine for the Eagles, while Matt Fletcher, four, and Nathan Gardiner and Justin Berry, three each, hit the scoreboard hard. The two Nathans, Allen and Dawes, were best for the Redbacks who remain winless for the season.
