Two Blues Roller Coaster Continues with a Rousing Win

Seniors: 

Following the fortunes of Prahran Assumption this season has been akin to riding a roller coaster of emotions. Momentum swings in football seem more prevalent than ever and certainly the Two Blues are a case in point in 2019. Nothing will rival the Old Paradians round six game when the Two Blues turned a six goals deficit into a 16 goals win but Saturday was another come-from-behind win. When the Two Blues trailed by 20 points at quarter time the odds on a win seemed slim at best. Yet 20 minutes later the Two Blues were in front with six unanswered goals and an eight point half-time lead they never surrendered. No doubt the key move of the match was the switch of Joel Hume onto St Mary’s gun forward Manny Dolan late in the first term. Dolan had kicked three monster goals and loomed as the match winner. But Hume held him virtually goalless with a master class in defence both physically and mentally. The Two Blues defence, so good all season, was under siege in that first quarter conceding six goals.  But the home team could kick only three goals in the remaining three quarters. The other change in the game was the shift on clearance dominance when Brett Dickinson and Ryley Conlan took charge in ruck duels. Beau Adams and Harrison Taylor did the bullocking work while Jimmy Falcone and James Musster supplies the breakaway speed. Riley Hogan kick started the revival with a brilliant solo running goal then a deft  Dickinson tap to James Musster from the centre bounce for another goal and the Two Blues were off and running. Conlan played his best game for the season highlighted by a superb groundball collect and goal on the run in the third quarter.  At the half-way mark of the season the Two Blues have a 4-5 win loss ledger, surprisingly with three away wins. That leaves Prahran Assumption in eighth place but only one game and 12.15 percentage points out of fourth place on the ladder.

First quarter: Jimmy Falcone scored the first goal of the match with a snap goal. Then Dolan stepped up with three quick goals. Brett Chapman and Mark McGill kept the scoreboard ticking but two more St Mary’s goals saw the home team shoot out to a 20 point lead.

Second quarter: Hogan’s solo running goal was a sign of what was to come. Then Dickinson and Musster combined for a centre clearance goal. Musster found Tim Maya for a long goal. Falcone, dominating clearances goaled and suddenly the Two Blues were in front. Conlan and Chapman goaled to extend the lead before St Mary’s kicked its first goal of the quarter in time-on.

Third quarter: Harrison Taylor found Chapman for the first goal of the quarter. St Mary’s hit back with successive goals as it made its move kicking to the scoring end. Conlan’s superb rover like goal kept the Two Blues in command,

Fourth quarter: The first goal was always going to be crucial and when Tom Quinn found Will Bourne for a long goal the arm wrestle was going in the Two Blues favour despite the loss of Chapman to a dislocated shoulder. When Taylor goaled from a free kick it was game over as St Mary’s was held goalless. 

Goals: Chapman 3, Falcone, Conlan 2, Bourne, Maya, Hogan, Musster, Taylor, McGill

Best: Hume, Conlan, Dickinson, Stocker, Kerr, Adams

Reserves:

Goals: Noonan 4, Henshaw 3, Seaholme

Best: Dempsey, Keaney, Jones, Panagiataros, Henshaw, Bremner

Club XXIII:

Goals: Farrell 2, Turnley, Davis, Marshall, Dillon

Best: Turnley, Morton, Donaldson, Dillon, Stewart, Corrigan.

Women's: