While the Western Region Football League’s top two divisions took a break for the interleague weekend, division 3 delivered a top-of-the-table thriller between Tarneit and Parkside.
In a classic game of two halves, Parkside was kept scoreless after half-time yet managed to come away with a 13-point win to take top spot on the ladder as the only unbeaten side after five rounds.
The 9.10 (64)-7.9 (51) scoreline only told part of the story, with Tarneit football manager Adam Taylor left with conflicting emotions by the end of it.
“We weren’t really in it in the first half and then it was a remarkable effort to get back in to it in the second,” Taylor said. “We went into the game knowing we were up against it with the side they are. We had quite a few guys out, so it was a solid effort considering all that.”
It was all going to plan early on for Parkside, with key forward Jason Cloke (three goals) providing a strong target up forward and the defenders locking down their opponents to keep the home side to one goal in the first term.
By the first break the Magpies had stretched out to a 30-9 lead, and they more than doubled that in the second quarter as they threatened to rout the Titans.
Going into the long break with a 64-10 advantage had many in the crowd thinking it was game over, but the Titans had other ideas as they turned the game on its head in the third quarter.
Not only did they keep the visitors scoreless but they kicked four goals of their own to close the gap to 29 points at the final change.
But the poor start eventually caught up with the home side. Despite keeping Parkside scoreless again, the Titans could muster just 2.4 for the term as they suffered their first loss of the season.
Taylor said the Titans would spend more time addressing their deficiencies in the first half rather than focusing on the second-half comeback.
“When you only kick one goal to half-time, I think you have to focus on that,” he said.
“If we performed better in the first half you get yourself in a position where you may win, so the onus from the coach will be on that.
“We hope to get some play-makers back next week to get us back on the winning track against Wyndham Suns, who we have a nice little rivalry with.”
