Two Blues triumph in tense finish

AT  the end of a four quarter slog Prahran prevailed by just two points v Parkside in a dour VAFA Division 1 clash  on Saturday.

Parkside went into the match second on the ladder with Prahran third, a game adrift.

Due to a quirk about percentage Parkside 168.51 remain second on the VAFA Division 1 ladder by a miniscule percentage margin over Prahran 168.38, but no doubt the bragging rights from the match go to the Two Blues.

In enemy territory this was a win to savour- coach Ash Lever described it as season defining. 'The Two Blues have now won all four away games this season, against the trend of VAFA matches, which speaks to the character of the team

Remarkably just eight goals were scored for the match with Prahran 4-9 (33) defeating Parkside 4-7 (31).

Apart from the last quarter when rain arrived conditions were perfect but it proved a lean day for forwards.

The Two Blues kicked the first two goals of the game- James Gottschalk on the run wandering down from defence and Harrison Cook from a mark and set shot.

In the end that proved crucial.

An Ollie Burke snap in heavy traffic and Taylor Bamford scoring a goal on the run in the last quarter were the Two Blues only other goals for the game .

Clearly this was a day for defenders but even so Two Blues full-back Jayden Williams has to be applauded for an imperious display with countless intercept marks and crucial dashes.

He was the gatekeeper, and with his fellow defenders Liam Hepburn, Patrick Ribbands, Tylar Atkinson and Gottschalk a fortress which Parkside simply could not penetrate.

Both teams deserve credit for their collective endeavour with the tackle and pressure rating sky high all day.

Prahran trailed by three points at the last break coming home with a breeze that had proved ineffectual. all day

Tom Cotter, a Prahran junior playing just his second senior game, hit the post with a running shot six minutes into the quarter and a minute later Bamford goaled on the run to take a four point lead.

From then the game became a goalless tackle fest.

Parkside had its chances with set shots which went astray..

The Two Blues lost key playmaker Riley Hogan with a hamstring strain before half-time which adds merit to a most deserved the win.

PRAHRAN 2-3 2-6 3-8 4-9 (35)

PARKSIDE 1-4 2-5 4-5 4-7 (31)

Goals. Gottschalk, Cook, Burke, Bamford.

Best Jayden Williams, Liam Hepburn, Patrick Ribbands, Tylar Atkinson, Mackenzie Mayne, Jake Stent Powell

RESERVES

The Reserves proved no match for ladder leader Parkside which dominated the game after a close first quarter.

PRAHRAN 1-0 2-4 3-4 4-6 (30)

PARKSIDE 1-4 5-5 9-6 11-7 (77)

Goals. Elwin 3, Langtry-Kierce 

Best. James Elwin, Otto Langtry-Kierce, Gus Alekna, Taz Spinks, Thomas Beddison, Kyle Scott

WOMENS

Our women’s team took on Old Haileybury in Round 7, a side that has been performing strongly in Division 3, and produced a spirited performance that ultimately fell just three points short.

The game began as a genuine arm wrestle, with both teams finding it difficult to gain territory and create scoring opportunities. It was a low-scoring first quarter, with pressure around the contest making ball movement challenging. However, when the game opened up, the Prahran-Collegians women showed some excellent passages of play, including clean handball receives, strong front-and-centre work and chains of handballs that helped drive the ball forward and create scoring opportunities.

Annabelle Schmidt was outstanding in attack, kicking important goals from full forward, while Ruth Sheridan once again led a resolute defensive unit with another strong performance. Across the ground, the team showed plenty of positive signs and demonstrated the foundations of the style of football we want to play.

While there were encouraging moments throughout the game, we know there is another level of intensity required to consistently win games in Division 3. That will be a key focus when we return to the training track after the King's Birthday break.

The match ultimately came down to the final stages, with Old Haileybury taking the lead in the last quarter. Despite a controversial six-point score, the game was decided by the narrowest of margins and could easily have gone either way.

As always, we will focus on the things we can control, continue to improve and prepare for another challenge in Round 8 against Parkdale. We have a great foundation, a fantastic group of players and the support of two strong clubs behind our women’s program. There is plenty to look forward to as the season progresses.

PRAHRAN-COLLEGIANS 2-2 2-4 3-6 4-6 (31)

Old Hailebury 1-2 3-2 -3 5-3 (33)

Goals. Menzies 2, Schmidt, Bridge.

Best. April Pierlot, Hannah Singleton, Rhianna Klisura, Mikayla Collins, Sheldon Menzies, Katelyn Fleming