Berwick’s back

By Brad Kingsbury
BERWICK won its second consecutive game with a thrilling seven-point victory over Beaconsfield, to give first-season coach Glenn Dale a dream start to his tenure at the Edwin Flack Reserve.
Celebrations at the final siren were reminiscent of a final, with Wickers coaching and support staff, many of them new to the club, running on to the field to embrace spent but ecstatic players.
The importance of the result was not lost on either side, with long-suffering Berwick supporters crowing that the Wickers were back in town as a contender after years in the doldrums, while the Eagles faithful faced up to another season of potential mediocrity.
Players and staff from both clubs attended local Anzac Day services prior to the game but it was the Wickers who drew the most inspiration early in the game, leading by three points at the first change and then using a strong wind advantage to kick six unanswered goals in the second quarter to lead by 40 points at half-time and look to have the match well in its control.
Wickers captain Andrew Tuck provided great drive along with Shaun Barnes in the middle, while makeshift ruckman Andrew Morozoff dominated the ruck after star Eagles big man Chris Kelf was forced out of the action early with a hip complaint.
Man-mountain Grant Noonan, who is developing a cult-like status at the club already, provided headaches for the Eagles defence at full forward and despite an improved third term effort with the breeze led by coach Robbie Taylor and the experienced Andrew Williams, the Eagles still trailed by 14 points at the final change and looked shot.
However Taylor asked his side for an inspired effort and received just that in the last quarter and suddenly the good-sized crowd came to life.
Floating Wicker defender Jason Heath was crunched in a pack and hobbled off just before three-quarter time and that released Eagle spearhead Lachlan Oakley who booted two goals and reduced the difference to three points at the 10-minute mark as the weather closed in the rain began.
The action and desperation increased as both sides realised that the game was yet to be won.
A goal to Andrew Hunter saw the Eagles hit the lead at the 13-minute mark but a free kick and 50-metre penalty to David Van Diemen saw the Wickers regain the advantage just as the clock edged in to time on.
The Eagles were not done and when Oakley snapped his third for the term at the 23-minute mark many thought the Wickers were gone.
However, the new regime has brought new belief to the Berwick team and rather than accept an honourable loss, the Wickers lifted again with late goals to Billy Carlyle and Grant Noonan seeing them home in a classic Battle-of-the-Creek Anzac Day victory.
Tuck was named the Anzac Day medallist but thrilled Berwick coach Glenn Dale said any one of a dozen players could have been their best.
Dale praised the efforts of youngsters including Carlyle and Nathan Page but said that, in the end, it was a team effort that showed great courage and determination.
“I thought our intensity was really good in the first half, but it was probably a four or five goal breeze in the second quarter and we used it pretty well,” he said.
“They used the ball better than us in the last quarter and went a bit longer, but to our players’ credit, we kept fighting and got the result. I knew we’d keep coming and I have no doubt that we’re one of the fittest teams in the comp.
“We had some of our bigger players pull out during the week but we had others who stepped up and that’s something I will be concentrating on this year. The talent is there and we have good back up all over the ground,” said Dale.
Taylor said that the effort of Oakley with five goals in attack was outstanding, particularly after half time, but the competition was intense and, at some stage the Beaconsfield players had to accept responsibility and rise to the challenge.
“We spoke about having a good start to the game but in the end out first half was terrible again,” he said.
“Full respect to Berwick. They came out and looked lively and sharp and that was the difference. They put the score on the board and we had to chase again.
“In the end we played some really good team footy but you can’t have really bad quarters or patches and expect to win.
“It comes to a point in time when we have to take the next step. It’s a fine line because we could have been celebrating a great win after coming back from 40 points down but we shouldn’t have been in that position anyway.”
He added that there was a positive to take from the game with the Eagles fielding 15 players 23 years of age or younger, but the pressure was firmly on for the side to start winning.