The Blackwood Football Club recorded its first loss of 2018 and its first loss to the Echunga Demons in 1,008 days. Trailing at every break the Woods were defeated by 19 points last Saturday afternoon: 7.10 (52) to 10.11 (71).
Coach Damien Salievic discussed his disappointment at losing the match. “It was a disappointing result for us today. We probably the had the chances to win the game.”
Starting the match, the Woods made three changes to their Round 1 line up with Liam McCarthy and Moe Milsom making their A Grade debuts and Tom Radford coming into the side. For the Demons, they had six inclusions from the Round 1 team which went down by 37 points to Mt Barker: Cam Bates, Clint Guy, Max Harris, David Liston, Daniel Stone and Riley Williams.
The home side got off to a flyer in the opening quarter kicking four goals inside the first ten minutes. The Blackwood defence was under the pump with the ball coming in with speed as Echunga were on top in the midfield with Jacob Broad and Xavier Gotch dominate early for the Demons. In the latter half of the quarter, the Woods began to work themselves back into the game kicking three goals through Michael Minuzzo, Ryan Dijksman and Ryan Anderson.
Trailing by seven points at the first change, coach Damien Saleivic got stuck into his players during the break. He said “we are leading the clearances and inside 50s but we need to work harder and get more urgent around the ball.” On the other side of the equation, Echunga coach Mick Duncan said “it was three errors which cost us the goals. Lets clean that up.”
Echunga got the quick start in the second quarter kicking two goals from centre breaks inside three minutes. The Blackwood coaching panel was dismayed on the sidelines as the Woods were conceding goals from centre breaks. Like the first quarter the Woods began to work themselves back into the game. With control the play, the Woods were able to get their fourth goal of the match through Minuzzo. Echunga got the immediate reply once again moving the ball forward in numbers form the clearance. Blackwood got the final goal of the quarter through Daniel Bennetts and trailed by 14 points at half time.
The traveling Blackwood supporters refreshed during half time, hoping their team could work their way back into the match. The third quarter was very much a defence affair from both sides. The only goal of the quarter came with two minutes left on the clock when Michael Minuzzo kicked his third major of the match. Both sides had their chances throughout the quarter missing several gettable set shots. The Blackwood defense was under pressure in the middle part of the quarter repelling the long entries inside the 50 from the Demons. In only his fourth A Grade game, Nathan Dunn was holding firm whilst Scott Bricknell and Kurt Thompson were providing their usual skills across the defensive fifty.
Blackwood trailed by eight points heading into the final change. Coach Salievic urged his side to continue to do the basics right as that’s what had got them back into the game. Mick Duncan raised his voice during the final break, suggest this players needed to “work harder and run more. We need to hit up targets and stop bombing long into the forward line”
Like the first and second quarters, Echunga got the jump on the Woods through centre clearances. Led by Jacob Broad, the Demons surged the ball forward kicking three goals in eight minutes. The Demons supporters began to find their voice with the chance to defeat the Woods in two seasons looking more likely. Blackwood made a surge in the next 10 minutes pushing the ball forward but were on able to register one major through Daniel Bennetts. With both sides defences hold strong in the final part of the quarter neither team was able to register another major and the final siren sounded with the home side securing a 19 point victory.
Final Scoreboard
Blackwood 3.0 5.4 6.7 7.10 (52)
Echunga 4.1 7.6 7.9 10.11 (71)
GOALS – Minuzzo 3, Bennetts 2, Anderson 1, Dijksman 1
BEST – Dunn, Bricknell, Thompson, Minuzzo, Bennetts
Other results
B Grade – Blackwood 3.8 (26) defeated by Echunga 8.10 (58)
Under 18s – Blackwood 10.5 (65) defeated Echunga 7.8 (50)
Under 16s – Blackwood 18.10 (118) defeated Echunga 0.0 (0)
Under 14s – Blackwood 14.15 (99) defeated Echunga 1.0 (6)
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