General News
24 August, 2023
Pointy end experience makes the difference - MATCH REPORT
BRIDGEWATER made an ominous statement in its elimination final thriller over Inglewood on Sunday. Your can’t beat experience, were the words that could have come from Harry Donegan, Tyler Estrada, Joshua Martyn and Alexander Pollock. The quartet...
BRIDGEWATER made an ominous statement in its elimination final thriller over Inglewood on Sunday.
Your can’t beat experience, were the words that could have come from Harry Donegan, Tyler Estrada, Joshua Martyn and Alexander Pollock.
The quartet brought young Mean Machiners into the game - Harry McKinley, Darcy Wood - particularly in the final term when Inglewood finally hit the lead mid-way through the fourth quarter.
The Blues were playing their first final in two decades, the pressure obvious early in the game before a classic final unfolded.
Inglewood would get close, only for the Mean Machine to break away again, even if momentarily.
But it was the pressure applied by Bridgewater in the final 15 minutes that made the difference.
The Blues, who had been slick and committed all season delivering hope and success after years in the wilderness, fumbled at key moments in front of goal.
Defence and mid-field turn-overs by Charlie Ingham, Thomas Kennedy, Sam Polack, Gabe Nevins, Cody Stobaus and Fergus Payne that had been successful in the third term were bottled up by the Mean Machine.
There was a return to all players in Inglewood’s forward half that had hampered the Blues in the first quarter.
Donegan’s peripheral vision constantly saw opportunities that opened the door for another forward lunge.
Skipper Martyn, who had been out of the side since round 11 back in June, was part of those passages and also finished the day with five goals.
Two came in the third quarter - a stumble on the line saw him just get boot to ball in time, another only minutes later from a mid-air kick of a floating ball.
Inglewood outscored Bridgewater in the third quarter, a late goal to Fergus Payne bringing the margin back to 10 points at the final change.
Sam Dorevitch and Alex Lowe lifted for Inglewood in the fourth quarter and a series of behinds had the difference down to five points.
Bregon Cotchett snapped to put the Blues in front only for Bridgewater’s Pollock to win the ball from the bounce and set up a goal for Estrada. Charlton Hindle then put the Bridgey 10 points up More Bridgewater goals in the last five minutes to Nicholas Hall and Martyn exaggerated a scoreboard that had been tight most of the game.
Inglewood battled this match out to the final siren. The gritty Blues may have been beaten but they have made huge strides and earned respect in 2023.
For Bridgewater, a mid-season slump is over and a hint that a repeat of 2022 in overcoming underdog status this year is again possible.