By DAVID NAGEL
PAKENHAM is through to its first reserves grade grand final since 2005 after a grinding, ugly, but oh so important 26-point victory over Berwick at Holm Park Road on Saturday.
The Lions, the underdogs, survived a fast-spreading outbreak of football’s most lethal disease – inaccuracy – passing that onto the Wickers after half time to book a place in this Saturday’s grand final against Narre Warren.
The Lions started the game with ferocious intent, typified by the work rate of Adam Alberni and the run-down and tackle by Nathan Fry on Matty Abraham… but the big-sticks continued to prove elusive.
A Jack Kowarzik major was the Lions’ only reward from eight scoring shots in the first term, an Alberni six-pointer in the second answered by Tom Gillies and Trent Van Hout to send the Lions to the sheds with a six-point cushion.
The third quarter continued the grind, both teams disciplined to the point where neither could break free of the opposition, and things became a real arm-wrestle.
The only goal of the third quarter came from Lions’ veteran Chad Shooter, who drew on all his experience to calmly thread the Sherrin with the last kick of the term.
The Lions were now 11 points up and with all the momentum.
“The moment we stop, they will take the ascendency,” Pakenham coach Darren Sidebottom told his side.
“We have to finish it off, take the game on, it takes four quarters to win finals. We are 20 minutes away from a grand final boys… how much do you all want it.”
The Lions answered in the affirmative, early goals to Michael Hicks and then a spine-tingling running goal from Alberni brought the Lion faithful to life.
Berwick responded but Fry then baked the cake, and Shooter iced it, with the last two goals of the match.
Alberni, Kowarzik and Chris Cardona provided the run, Jason Williams and Sean Winsall the class, while Mark Fletcher, Alan Benis, Nick Verleg and Jackson Hillard all played crucial roles down back.
The Lions are really playing for each other heading into this week’s decider but their class acts will have to lift their level to new heights, lead the way, if the Lions are to stand a chance against the red-hot Magpies.
The first bounce takes place at 12.15pm this Saturday at Berwick’s Edwin Flack Reserve.
