Two Blues lock in the double chance

WITH three rounds remaining in VAFA Division 1 Prahran is assured of the coveted double chance and so can declare 'mission one accomplished.'

With three home and away games to come the Two Blues are two games and percentage ahead of second placed Ormond and three games and percentage ahead of third placed Parkside.

Of course this is just the first step towards the ultimate goal of a premiership and promotion to C Grade.

Nonetheless it is a tribute to the class and consistency of a team which has won 22 of its past 25 matches over two seasons.

The Two Blues defied a stern challenge from Kew on Saturday..

Kew at home has always been a formidable foe for Prahran and with skipper Rory Brodie sidelined by injury this was always going to a tough encounter.

“We wanted a test and we got one ,” as coach Craige Milward said post match.

Indeed the pressure rating in the first half was finals like with Kew's tackling, smothers and general effort testing the Two Blues composure under pressure.

But the Two Blues were simply harder for longer, restricting Kew to a paltry 1-2 after half-time while adding 5-6.

Kew was playing for a finals berth so it was always going to be tough in the trenches early.

Ethan Plaza has made a habit of being the first goal kicker in recent weeks and did so again courtesy of a pass from Tim Maya returning from injury.

Plaza then kicked the second after accepting a Matthew Clifton snapped pass.
Kew goaled late from a free for a deliberate out of bounds to take a six point lead at the first change.

Clint Angove marked and goaled to level the scores, then James Musster laid a superb tackle and goaled from the free kick to give the Two Blues a seven point lead.

Kew hit back with successive goals before defender Joel Hume goaled after the siren to trim the margin to one point.

The third term proved pivotal. Jesse Waters in his comeback game from a broken collarbone passed to Plaza who dropped a regulation chest mark but recovered and snapped a goal.

The Two Blues held sway in general play without reward before Angove sharked a goal in the square to open an 11 point lead.

Maya passed to Jon Simonetta who found Taylor Bamford for a goal to open the last quarter.

When Simonetta was freed and the umpire called play on and Ollie Burke swooped on the loose ball and ran into an open goal it was game over.

Simonetta, moved to full-forward, marked and converted to seal a gritty win.

PRAHRAN 2-1 5-3 7-4 10-9 (69)

KEW 3-1 5-4 5-5 6-6 (42)

Goals Plaza 3, Angove 2, Musster, Hume, Simonetta, Burke, Bamford,

Joey Bell, Patrick Ribbands, Jonathon Simonetta, Max Milward, Ethan Plaza, Timothy Maya

RESERVES

A real cliff hanger with Prahran denied by four points despite dominating inside 50s in the last quarter.

The Two Blues were three goals behind early in the last quarter then added 2-3 with several other near misses but could not nail the killer blow.

The win leaves the Two Blues fourth and a game clear of Kew so need to keep winning to clinch a finals berth.

PRAHRAN 2-1 3-3 4-6 6-9 (45)

KEW 0-3 3-5 6-7 7-7 (49)

Goals. Marrow 3, Campbell, Pavlou, Jennings.

Tyrone Jennings, Max Howden, Daniel Campbell, Tully Loomes, Jackson Partridge, Michael Woods