Two Blues brave in defeat

THE scoreboard may not have shown it, but Prahran produced perhaps its best effort of the season against VAFA Premier C Grade finals bound Beaumaris on Saturday.

The final margin of 59 points, 12-16 (88) to 3-1 (19) doesn’t do justice to the Two Blues endeavour.

There is a gulf in class between the two teams with Prahran relegation bound against a club eyeing off Premier B grade promotion after stretching its winning sequence to 11.

So that puts into context the first half when the free scoring Sharks were restricted to just 3-10, much to the annoyance of a vocal supporter base expecting to witness a goal fest.

At times the Two Blues were able to move the ball with precision and keep possession by foot but lacked fire power up forward.

It was evident from the first bounce the Two Blues were committed to the game plan of pressure and stoppage after stoppage. In fact Prahran won the contested ball by two possessions,  it simply lacked the polish when it came to conversion.

It wasn’t pretty but it was effective in restricting Beaumaris’ scoring power.

A pass from Mackenzie Mayne to Jayden Williams for a goal saw the Two Blues take the lead in the first 10 minutes.

It took 18 minutes before the Sharks posted their first goal courtesy of a free kick.

At half-time the deficit was a manageable 21 points but with Max Milward and James Gottschalk ruled out for the rest of the game with injury, the floodgates could have opened.

Yet the Two Blues stuck to their task with Beaumaris adding three goals while Matthew Clifford added Prahran’s second goal.

The scoreline blew out in the final term with the Sharks adding six goals with Clifford adding a second after a chain of passes involving James Musster and Mayne.

Coach Craige Milward praised the efforts of the back seven as outstanding and rightly so as the ball lived in the Sharks forward line.

In particular Patrick Ribbands was outstanding at full-back conceding considerable height to Julian Galbally from Sandringham Dragons, touted as a potential AFL draft prospect, holding him to one goal.

PRAHRAN 1-1 1-1 2-1 3-1 (19)

BEAUMARIS 2-6 3-10 6-12 12-16 (88)

Goals. Clifford 2, Williams.

Best. Patrick Ribbands, Matt Clifford, Rory Brodie, Thomas Seaman, James Musster, Ryan Smyth

RESERVES

BEAUMARIS' depth was on full display putting on a clinic and restricting fifth placed finals hopeful Prahran to just two points.

Fourth placed AJAX trailed bottom team Parkside for three quarters but managed to win  all but ensuring they will remain in the four with four rounds remaining.

PRAHRAN 0-0 0-2 0-2 0-2 (2)

BEAUMARIS 4-2 11-5 15-9 21-12 (138)

Best. Matt Hughes, Jackson Partridge, Angus Perez, Benjamin Oakley, Michael Woods, Ethan Plaza

WOMENS

SKIPPER Alicia Meich ended a goal drought for the women but were no match for Elsternwick.

PRAHRAN 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 (6)

ELSTERNWICK 5-3 8-6 10-15-13 (103)

Goal. Meich.

Best. Millie Stonnill, Rebecca Rose, Bridie Elith, Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick, Sarah Carson