A barnstorming opening term was the difference between Hoppers Crossing and Albion on Saturday, with the Warriors claiming an important win in Western Region Football League division 1.
Kicking with the aid of a strong breeze to start the game, Hoppers Crossing conceded the first six-pointer before kicking seven unanswered goals to open up a match-winning lead.
They went on to win 14.10 (94) – 11.7 (73) at JR Parsons Reserve.
Warriors coach Steve Kretiuk said the good start was important, especially with Albion rallying in the final quarter to close the gap.
“We came into the game knowing they’re really hard to beat there, so we made a concerted effort to get off to a good start and take the sting out of the game for them,” he said.
“We were able to control the stoppages and get first possession, which tends to happen when we win games … I thought we adjusted to the size of the ground and made good choices going forward, especially early on.
“To Albion’s credit, they fought back, but no matter how you play or what the margin is, it’s always good to get a win at Albion.”
Holding a 38-point lead at the first break, Hoppers Crossing kicked two handy goals against the breeze in the second term, including a smart snap by Mitchell Palma, to minimise the impact of the home side’s four majors for the quarter.
Tempers flared between the two sides going into half-time, but it was the visitors who maintained their composure when hostilities resumed.
The Warriors booted 4.3 to the Cats’ solitary behind as they stretched away to a 46-point lead at three-quarter time, and while the hosts trimmed the margin in the final term it was a win to savour for the visitors.
The victory keeps Hoppers just a win and percentage adrift of the top four, with Kretiuk saying the season was tracking along to plan.
“I think we’re probably on par given where our list is at,” he said.
“We’ve lost some depth in our squad, and some older heads, which has allowed some of our younger guys – like Chase Guy and Anthony Tiricola – to have an opportunity in the seniors. We’ve played guys that may not have had their opportunity if we hadn’t had injuries.
“We’re thereabouts and we’re still trying to improve as we go along, hopefully without many injuries … with some improvement over a long season, we think we can sneak up.”
