Two Blues power home for 45 point win

PRAHRAN answered questions about its finals credentials in emphatic style with a 45 point win over UHS-VU at Lucas Reserve on Saturday on Umpires Appreciation round.

After just two wins against lowly West Brunswick and Preston leading into the clash with second placed UHS-VU the jury was out on just where the Two Blues stood in the Division 1 pecking order.

The win leaves the Two Blues in fifth place on the VAFA Division 1 ladder and a 3 wins 3 losses record,

Despite the healthy winning margin this game was very much in the balance for three quarters. Although the Two Blues held a nine point lead at the final break supporters held their collective breath as over the past two seasons they have made an art form of losing close matches.

But from the moment Beau Adams, James Musster and Matthew Clifford, three of the better players on the day, combined for a goal in the first 40 seconds of the last term you could sense this time the Two Blues would not buckle.

Indeed the final quarter proved something of a rout with the Two Blues adding 7-2 to 1-2 as Uni High’s resistance waned.

Reportedly UHS-VU had a lengthy injury list leading into the game but the Two Blues also had key absentees so the win should be taken on face value.

The opening term was a portent of what was the follow for the first three quarters.
The pressure rating was high from both teams with UHS-VU looking the better team early.

After UHS-VU edged seven points clear early in the second quarter against the run of play Prahran slammed in four unanswered goals to Adams, Tom Seaman, Tim Maya and Clifford.

Late in the right third term Clifford and Adam Heatley missed relatively straight forward set shots while UHS-VU with four goals to two for the quarter edged closer.
But any thoughts those misses would come back to haunt the Two Blues were quickly erased with that opening goal.

The Two Blues has a host of good players, pleasingly including some of the lesser known players such as Jackson Partridge, with three last quarter goals, Heatley and in defence Pat Ribbands.

PRAHRAN 2-3 6-4 8-9 15-11 (101)
UHS-VU 2-4 3-5 7-6 8-8 (56)
Goals. Clifford 4, Partridge 3, Adams, Seaman 2, Bell, Brodie, Maya, Waters.

Best: J. Waters, M. Mayne, J. Bell, J. Musster, L. Kerr

RESERVES
A hat-trick of wins has propelled the Reserves into finals contention.

Although ladder leader Kew looms as a formidable task next week their is enough evidence to suggest the Reserves can strongly contend for finals.

After a slow start the Two Blues dominated play and boosted their percentage.

PRAHRAN 1-3 5-7 8-8 9-10 (64)

UHS-VU 1-4 1-4 1-6 2-10 (22)

Goals:A. Perez 3, D. Marrows 3, O. Burke 2, W. Axford-Wood

Best Players:D. Campbell, A. Perez, H. Taylor, J. Noonan, T. Beddison, W. Axford-Wood.

THIRDS

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

OLD SCOTCH 10-4 16-8 20-1223-20 (158)