By Mark Gullick
BEACONSFIELD shocked the league after it out-lasted a fast-finishing Hampton Park by four points at Perc Allison Oval.
A brilliant second term, which yielded the home side six goals, opened up the match after a tight first quarter.
The Eagles out-worked and out-ran their fourth-placed opponent, who were eager to go into this week’s bye with a win.
Beaconsfield held sway in the third term to lead by 32 points, before Hampton Park stormed home to nearly claim the win.
It would have been a great injustice to Beaconsfield had it lost, as the Eagles were the greater team for the majority of play.
Beaconsfield was led by the evergreen Robbie Taylor, who controlled the game across the half-back line.
Andrew Williams’ sensational return continued with six goals as the best forward on the field.
Ji Veltmeyer continued his strong form after dropping back to the reserves in Round Six, while Dean Van Lambaart and Glenn Penglase played well.
For the overthrown, Jack Besley, who is enjoying a consistently excellent season since returning to the club at the start of the year, performed well.
Matthew Shorey worked hard in the forward half, as did the versatile Dean Jamieson (three goals), veteran Leigh Morse and the promising Jackson Dalton.
Kerem Baskaya kicked four goals.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:DEVON MEADOWS v TOORADIN-DALMORE
TOORADIN-Dalmore had few issues dealing with Devon Meadows in a battle of the cellar-dwellers at EG Allen Oval.
The Seagulls kicked five goals to one in the opening term enroute to a 54-point win in a contest that fizzled minutes after it began.
In a physical start, Seagulls midfielders Beau Miller and Ryan White dominated the early portions of the match.
Quick goals to David White, Scott Szucs (with a clever soccer), and Jason Siegel gave the Seagulls the perfect start.
Devon Meadows fought back and broke even in the midfield, but failed to penetrate its half-forward line.
Tooradin-Dalmore out-scored the Panthers by three goals to one in the second term to hold a 39-point half-time lead.
The two teams played out a thrilling draw when they met earlier in the year.
That day, Tooradin-Dalmore held a significant half-time lead, a point that wasn’t lost on the Seagulls camp.
Devon Meadows worked into the contest during the third term, but Tooradin-Dalmore was able to match goal for goal.
The Seagulls kicked seven goals to five in the second half to run out clear winners.
It was a deserving victory for a team that has remained competitive while ruined by injuries.
Miller and White led the Seagulls’ midfield, which dominated the Panthers.
From the opening bounce, Miller and White combined well to link with its back-half and supply chances into the forward line.
David White kicked four goals from many opportunities, while defenders Paul Ray and Adam Splatt, and big man Aaron Hyde played well.
Panthers captain Jesse DeHey never abandoned the cause and worked tirelessly through the midfield.
Adam Jago is another Devon Meadows player that tries his heart out every weekend and played well, as did youngster Aaron Laing, half-forward Steve McInnes, Brandan Wapshott across half-back and the undeviating Michael Bain.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:KEYSBOROUGH v ROC
KEYSBOROUGH fought off indifferent form and a determined opposition to honour its favourite son with a victory.
Luke McGuinness kicked two goals in his 300th MPNFL game, helping his team to a 16-point win over ROC at Rowley Allen Reserve.
At quarter-time, the match was seemingly settled after Keysborough kicked nine goals to three to hold a 37-point advantage.
Yet ROC kept fighting over the next two quarters, which Keysborough coach Brad Canavan labelled “the worst quarters we’ve played all year”.
The third term was even in general play, but three late goals to ROC put the Kangaroos firmly back into contention.
Goals to Under 18s captain Blake Gilbert (from a Keysborough defensive turnover), Ben O’Loughlin and Andrew Logan (following a superb mark), gave ROC an unlikely one-point lead at the last turn.
Whispers around the ground were that ROC would use its fitness and pace to overrun Keysborough in the final term, like it did when the two teams met earlier in the year.
On that occasion, in Round Two, ROC produced a six-goal final term to convert a five-goal three-quarter time deficit into a 29-point victory.
“We knew ROC would come back because they’ve troubled us in the past couple of games,” Canavan said.
“We’ve lost the last two because they’ve just run and run and they run unusual patterns and angles.
“A few of our blokes got a little lazy and started zoning off and we started getting cut up with speed.”
Keysborough drew first blood after Davor Rajic recovered from a one-on-one duel in the goalsquare to kick his first goal.
McGuinness used his nous to feed out a clever handball to Tyson King, who screamed forward and popped through a major.
When King added another goal from a free-kick and Mark Osborne added another, the match was decided in Keysborough’s favour.
ROC attacked and Matthew Clarke goaled, but it was countered by a Cory Hargreaves major that sealed the win.
“I gave the boys a bit of a rev-up and luckily we were able to step up to the mark and have a strong last quarter, which was pleasing,” Canavan said.
“Basically, because we relaxed so much in the second and third quarters, our energy still had to be there (in the last term).
“It was a strange game, a classic on-off switch for us. The first quarter was outstanding and everything fell into place.
“Tyson King stood tall across centre half-forward, which was great. We had good run and desperation and our skill level was of good quality.”
Keysborough’s even team performance was led by middle echelon: Joseph McLelland, who has a knack of performing well against ROC, Shannon Dart, Darcy McDonald, Dean Kelly and the fiery Anthony Brannan were noteworthy contributors for the Burras.
King finished with six goals in another commanding showing.
ROC veterans Ben Johnson, in the midfield, and big man Andrew Logan, led the Kangaroos.
Matthew Clarke booted four goals to take his season tally to 21, while Ben Tivendale was steady in defence.
The versatile Matthew Payne and the spindly Stephen Hawkins played well.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:PAKENHAM v DOVETON
PAKENHAM trounced a spiraling Doveton by 87 points at Toomuc Reserve.
The Lions, who haven’t suffered defeat since 21 May, had few issues dispensing Doveton after quarter-time.
