LAKE Boga secured their first win in a month, beating Balranald in a scrappy contest.
Heading into the game with star forward Angus Monfries and Daniel Dzufer returning, the Magpies proved too strong and controlled the contest until midway through the third quarter.
The Magpies should have been further in front, but wayward kicking allowed Balranald back into the contest. With a four-goal blitz to cap off the third term, the Roos headed into the final change with a 23-point deficit.
Star full forward Ben Fuller, quiet until that point, kicked three of those goals in five minutes to show why he is one of the most dangerous players in the competition.
Magpies skipper Monfries was proud of the maturity his young side showed in the final quarter to hang on.
“I think we were walking away from the game last week pretty positive, even though we lost, so we just tried to build on that momentum today and we probably did what we needed to do. A couple of skill executions let us down, but we were mature enough to hold.
“It was led by our youngest bloke on the field, Dustin Burns – he was putting the pressure on all day.”
Monfries said a Burns tackle in the last quarter, when Balranald “were having a bit of momentum”, had earned him a free kick and a vital goal.
Burns had slotted the only goal of a fumble-riddled first term, beginning a brilliant performance with a blistering run from the middle of the ground and drawing a free kick.
The Magpies broke the game open early in the second term and had five goals before the reliable Jydon Neagle kicked Balranald’s first. Neagle, Fuller, Ryan Middlebrook and Drew Lloyd were among the Roos’ best. Some wasted chances by Boga kept the margin to 23 points at the main break.
Boga kicked away early in the third quarter with Jayden Lonergan getting one of the goals of the day. At one stage the Magpies led 9.8.62 to 2.2.14, but out of nowhere the Roos started winning the ball and got on a run.
But their late charge wasn’t enough and the Magpies tightened the contest in the last quarter to round out the 24-point victory.
Monfries said his side still had work to do as they looked to secure a finals spot. He highlighted the connection between midfielders and half-forwards as an issue. “That’s one area today were we weren’t great. They set up well behind the ball that’s one area where we can get better.”
Jacob Simpson was the Magpies’ best player, continuing his ripping form. Tyle Williams, Taylor Johnstone and Burns all had strong games also, but the even performance pleased Monfries. “Our back six was fantastic and our midfielders did pretty well also.”
Tyntynder’s upset win over Cohuna leaves the Magpies in fifth place. For the Roos, however, things are starting to look desperate as they sit two wins and percentage outside the finals berths and a face second-placed Cohuna next round.
VOTES
3 Votes Jacob Simpson (Lake Boga)
2 Votes Jydon Neagle (Balranald)
1 Votes Dustin Burns (Lake Boga)
MATCH RESULTS
LAKE BOGA 1.3 5.6 9.9 11.10.76
BALRANALD 0.2 2.2 6.4 8.4.52
GOALS – LAKE BOGA – Jarrod Taylor 3, Angus Monfries, Dustin Burns 2, John Harvey, Rhys Healey, Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, Matt Taverna 1.
BALRANALD – Ben Fuller 5, Drew Lloyd 2, Jydon Neagle 1.
BEST – LAKE BOGA – Dustin Burns, Jacob Simpson, Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, Brady Hogan, Tyle Williams, Taylor Johnstone.
BALRANALD – Ryan Middlebrook, Jydon Neagle, Jordan Wilkins, Josh Hodgson, Drew Lloyd, Ned Lay.
