SUMMARY
Kicking with the aid of a typical Elsterwick Park breeze. OB gained a handy but not convincing 19 point lead by quarter time. DLS had plenty of the play but the Dan Close goal was their only major return.
The 2nd term was full of promise with Matt Moore moving well. The DLS run was troubling OB who had extreme difficulty getting the ball forward. 3 goals to Moore and one each to Ryan Sherman and Matt Fieldsend ensured DLS went to the main break with a handy 13 point lead, a turnaround of 32 points.
The 3rd term with OB having the use of the “breeze” was going to be decisive! The DLS defence with Luke Jarvis & Dan Close outstanding held firm aided by the inaccurancy of the OB forwards although it must be conceeded that kicking to the scoreboard goal was tricky.Containing OB to just 2 goals while adding 1 through Michael Duggan ment that DLS were to go into the final term with a 3 point lead.
The Dees dominated the quarter with 19:3 forward entries and only inaccuracy constrained the winning margin.
An excellent team effort with many pleasing aspects particulalry the debut of Luke Semmel, the 8th 1st gamer this season. The sustained commitment and aggression at the ball was exemplary.

QTR1
Kicking with the aid of a typical Elsterwick Park breeze. OB openned their account quickly with ominous good disposal and fine forward delivery. OB added a 2nd shortly after with their tall marking forwards dominant. DLS tightened up considerably with Jeff Morel showing leadership creating loose man play. This resulted in several promising forward thrusts which were deflected deep in DLS attacking zone. 11 minutes elapsed before OB got their 4th but this was immediately answered by Dan Close. He broke tackles to get the ball out of centre, ran on to receive I think from Luke Semmel and goal on the run.
DLS had many scoring opportunities with Matt Moore moving and marking well but unable to register majors.

QTR2
Trailing by 19 points DLS quickly asserted authority. A fine contested mark by Sam Pickett got the ball to CHF where Moore took his 2nd contested and 4th mark of the match. He converted but it was a worrying 10 minutes before Ryan Sherman having a very good game took off from his wing and the long bomb eluded all to roll through the unguarded goal. Although OB hardly entered their forward zone they successfully defended their now reduced lead of 4 points. Sherman was again influential when Aaron Shields extracted the ball from the pack, passed to Sherman whose long kick was marked by Matt Fieldsend at CHF. His goal put DLS in the lead for the 1st time, at the 18 minute mark.
The umpires at last saw the blocking tactics employed against Moore and he was freed directly in front to extend the DLS lead to 7. A fine piece of play involving Nathan Roberts to Jacob Gotch to Sherman to Semmel to Fieldsend landed the ball with the irrepressible Moore and his 3rd goal sent DLS to the main break 13 points to the good.
A highlight of this stanza was Ryan Sherman’s long (5 bounce) run from deep defence outer side to the wing on the grandstand side and deliver perfectly into the forward zone. Sherman exhibited leadership in a similar fashion to Morel earlier in “taking them on”.

QTR3
Trying anything to prevent a repeat of the disastrous 3rd quarter efforts of the last 4 games, DLS players had only a brief break and re entered the field to do a series of low intensity kicking drills. The move appeared to pay immediate dividends as OB despite the “breeze” took 21 minutes to register their 1st goal for the term. They were having extreme difficulty kicking accurately to the scoreboard goal. They added 7 behinds prior to that 1st goal and only added 1 more goal for the term. DLS players were obviously determined not to let another sound position deteriorate and their fierce contesting was epitomised by the uncompromising tackle by Moore in the forward pocket forcing the ball free to Michael Duggan who snapped truly from close in.
A highlight of the quarter was the super spectacular mark by Will Fenton near the centre of the ground. Think it was Close who dangerously centred the ball against the wind and instructions but Fenton saved his and the team’s bacon with his “specky”

QTR4
Leading by only 3 points but with confidence heightened by an excellent quarter into the wind, DLS attacked immediately and continuously. Moore, Sherman, Nick Roberts, Lowe, Pickett and Shields were dominant but only behinds (5) was poor return for their efforts. Jarrod Moloney who had completely shut down OB’s Hendra was now prominent with positive positioning and clever marking. Pickett whose strong overhead game was becoming a regular feature, again won in a contested aerial duel, passed to Duggan onto Moore and his 4th was on the board. Josh Oakley who had quietly worked into the game intercepted an OB disposal near the centre, followed up passing to Sherman who ran & ran, closing to range and delivered DLS 9th, and the match sealing goal, at the 18 minute mark.
Jacob Gotch who had recovered from a earlier high tackle courageously won possession in the centre passed to Nick Roberts and his fine disposal was marked by Fieldsend who played on immediately using the left footers “curve” to advantage. He goaled from the position where both DLS & OB forwards had tried unsuccessfully on many occassions!
It was a well earned 30 point victory secured by excellent terms into the “breeze” evidenced by the differential of forward entries into the “breeze” of the teams: DLS 9 & 7 : OB 3 & 3.

Well done boys.

Colin Glover
Secretary De La Salle OCA FC Inc