LAKE Boga kept their undefeated start to 2023 intact with a one-point win over an inaccurate Nyah-Nyah West United.
Despite dominating in general play for large periods, the Demons were wasteful in front of goal, scoring one major from 11 scoring shots midway through the second term.
While NNW United rallied from that point on, the damage was done, with Lake Boga constantly finding that much-needed goal against the flow to keep the Demons at bay – until the last quarter.
Trailing by 15 points at the final break, NNW United piled on three unanswered goals as the Magpies suffered their own goalkicking issues, registering six straight behinds over the final 30 minutes to keep the Demons in the contest.
When Nick O’Neill’s 55 metre set shot cut the margin to just one point with three minutes left, an upset was on the cards, but to their credit, Lake Boga dug deep and held on over the dying minutes to record a hard-fought 9.11 (65) to 8.16 (64) victory.
O’Neill was sensational in the ruck for the Demons, battling hard with Magpies big man Jacob Simpson.
NNW United dominated around the stoppages, with their speed and quick hands cutting the home side apart with regularity.
Where it fell down was with their entries inside 50, blazing away and wasting possession time after time, and failing to give their undersized forward line an opportunity to work their magic.
While Charlie Boulton and Jarrod Skinner worked hard in the air and at ground level, Lake Boga found it far too easy at times to intercept NNW United’s forward entries and rebound out of defence.
Lake Boga had their own issues maintaining possession, with the Demons’ intense pressure on the ball carrier resulting in turnovers through the middle of the ground.
The defensive pressure applied by both sides was first class, which saw the game descend into a scrappy, error-riddled spectacle at times.
One player who regularly showed a clean pair of hands was NNW United’s Dominic Gallo, who won plenty of ball for his side through the middle.
Tyle Williams was equally effective for the home side, especially in the first half, with the big bodied midfielder racking up kicks across half back and using it more effectively than most of his teammates.
Jake Warren and Ryan Fox were also among the Magpies’ runners who were influential across the four quarters, while David Gourdis showed he will be a handful for most opposition backlines this season with his ability to both lead up and provide a target deep in attack.
While undersized in defence as well as attack, the Demons’ back six competed hard, and in reality, did well to keep Lake Boga to just nine majors.
Joel Walsh’s intercept marking was sensational once again, while joint coach Corey Daniels provided plenty of drive out of defence, along with onballers Kayne Davidson and Dylan Mclachlan.
Having started 2023 with two wins from as many games, Lake Boga will next week face their first big test when they come up against last year’s runners-up Cohuna.
NNW United will have an even bigger challenge on their hands when they host reigning premiers Kerang, with the Demons set to be without midfielder Brady Davidson for extended period after an injury to his AC joint.
FINAL SIREN
| LAKE BOGA | 4.1 | 6.3 | 9.5 | 9.11 | 65 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NNW UNITED | 1.6 | 3.12 | 5.14 | 8.16 | 64 |
VOTES
3 – Dominic Gallo (NNW United)
2 – Tyle Williams (Lake Boga)
1 – Nick O’Neill (NNW United)
