It was a game that no side deserved to lose – and neither side did.
Werribee Districts and Sunshine Kangaroos played out a thrilling draw in Western Region Football League division 1 at Soldiers Reserve on Saturday.
Tigers coach Chris Gilham was left flat after game ended at 58 apiece, but he could not argue that it was not the right result.
“It was a bit of a hollow feeling when you draw and not win, but we’ll take the two points and move on,” he said.
“It was a neck-and-neck game. We had the scoring end early and had a little lead at the break, and they had it second quarter and came back at us … it was the same in the second half.
“We defended quite well, as they did, against the wind.
“It’s hollow because we were never behind in the game … but I’d say it was a fair result because they were coming hard at the end.”
For Werribee Districts, it brought an end to its two-game losing streak.
The Tigers were coming off heavy losses to top two sides Deer Park and Spotswood and needed to respond.
“We played two quality oppositions, so we weren’t getting too upset,” Gilham said.
“We were showed up a little bit by Deer Park, who are the front runners of the competition and were too good for us.
“We showed signs that we’re good enough to compete with these teams, but we need to put it together for four quarters.
“That was the pleasing thing about today – we were able to string together four competitive quarters and get half a result.”
Trent Lee was at the forefront of all that was good for Werribee Districts in the draw.
The onballer played with controlled aggression, won the lion’s share of contested ball for his side and was a threat offensively.
“He plays with a real hard edge,” Gilham said. “He got us surging forward quite a few times.
“When there was a tackle to be made or a collision to be had, he was right there.”
Werribee Districts moved up to third on the ladder.
The Tigers will take to the road on Saturday for what could be a danger game against unpredictable Albion.
“We’re not going to drop our guard with Albion – we’ve got a lot of respect for them,” Gilham said. “They’re hard to beat at home and their best five players are as good as any team in the comp.
“They probably shaped the final five last year, so they’re definitely dangerous. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to go.”
Elsewhere in division 1, Hoppers Crossing was tight defensively in holding St Albans to just five goals in a 26-point win.
The Warriors remain fifth, level on wins with fourth-placed Altona.
Wyndhamvale had a day to forget, going goal-less in a 114-point loss to Spotswood.
In division 2, Manor Lakes won a thriller by two points over Newport Power to move up to fourth.
Point Cook continued on its merry way with a 54-point win over Albanvale.
The Bulldogs face a showdown with ladder leader Yarraville-Seddon at Saltwater Reserve this Saturday.
In division 3, Wyndham Suns remain undefeated after a 43-point win over Sunshine Heights.
The shock of the day was Point Cook Centrals’ stunning 120-point loss at the hands of Tarneit, with the premiership contenders failing to register a goal.
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