By DAVID NAGEL
LEADING his team out – shortly before dusk – for Saturday night’s Anzac Day clash against Pakenham at Toomuc Reserve will have very special meaning for new ROC captain James Canty.
The quietly spoken but extremely impressive 21-year-old midfielder’s grandfather, of the same name, fought on the Kokoda Track during World War II.
And while football should never be compared to war, Canty agreed that footy had provided lovers of the great game with the perfect opportunity to pay their respects.
“Absolutely, it’s been a great way to pay tribute, with the last post, the minutes’ silence, and they’re probably things that people wouldn’t do unless they were at a football game,” he said.
ROC, coming off a heart-breaking two-point loss to Doveton last week, will need to be right at the top of its game against a Pakenham line-up that scored its most celebrated win in more than five years against Narre Warren last week.
Lock this one in the vault under “classic”, with the Magpies and Lions producing a high-standard and free-flowing contest that went all the way down to the wire, the Lions triumphant by five points.
The lead changed hands at the end of the first three quarters – the Lions superb 7.4 to 3.1 first term answered with an 8.4 to 2.2 response from the Magpies. Pakenham lifted its rating in the third quarter, kicking six goals to three, ensuring a hot finish to a cracking game of footy.
The Magpies looked to have cracked the Lions in the final term, but late goals to Damien Holmes and Russell Lehman, who had a terrific second half, got the Lions across the line in a thriller.
“I asked the players at half time to keep concentrating and keep sticking to the things they do well, and full credit to them, they played amazing footy and I was very proud of them in the end,” Pakenham coach Steve O’Bryan said.
Daniel Fry and Jake Smith kicked four each for the Lions but it was the second-half performance of Lehman, and a brilliant game from skipper Dean Blake that carried the Lions across the line.
Doveton had to fight hard for its win over ROC.
The Kangaroos looked to have the Doves measure in the final term, but late goals to Michael Laszczyk, and a set shot from Jordan Temopoulos at the 29-minute mark, gave the Doves their second nail-biting win in succession after last week’s one-point thriller against Tooradin.
Ruckman Russell Gabriel was once again fantastic for the Doves, while Shannon Henwood, Phil Nanfra and Michael Henry fought hard for some midfield ascendency.
Matt Clarke was dangerous with five for ROC while his team-mate Ben O’Loughlin was terrific in defence.
Cranbourne kicked 12 goals to two in the second half on its way to a 37-point win over a very disappointing Berwick at Edwin Flack Reserve.
There was no panic in the Eagles’ camp after Berwick had slammed on 7.5 to no score in the second quarter to turn an 18-point quarter-time deficit into a 29-point half-time lead.
Mat Fletcher and Max Gearon got plenty of the ball through the midfield for the Eagles, who had Michael Theodoridis boot five for the afternoon.
Reigning premier Beaconsfield has overcome the Stephen Milne Show and a slow start to run out 51-point winners over Hampton Park at Robert Booth Reserve.
Milne kicked three goals and added some real interest as the Redbacks pushed the Eagles to their limits in the first half.
The Eagles lifted their intensity, banging on 7.5 to 2.0 in the third quarter, with ruckman Scott Meyer impressive, while Taylor Joyce, five goals, and Chris Worner, four, were dangerous up forward.
