WERRIBEE was left to lament a poor second quarter after a final-term comeback left it two points short against Coburg in the VFL on Sunday.
The Tigers kicked four goals in the final term and led in the dying stages before several free kicks and a late Ben Clifton goal gave Coburg a 9.12 (66) to 9.9 (63) win.
PICTURE GALLERY: Werribee v Coburg
It made for an exciting final term, but Werribee had only itself to blame as Coburg was allowed to dominate proceedings in the second term.
Coburg led by six points at quarter-time and was nigh on unstoppable in the second quarter, kicking four goals to one to lead by 31 at half-time.
Given the cold, wet and heavy conditions it was a significant lead.
Coburg forwards Liam McBean, Ben Griffiths and Luke McGuane were the recipients of several inside 50 thrusts from the midfield, with the likes of Robbie Nahas and Brad Helbig playing well.
Ben McKinley kicked the Tigers’ only goal late in the term in a rare instance of the ball going inside Werribee’s forward half.
The third term was a scrap, with only three goals kicked. Werribee generally had the better of play but couldn’t make the most of its opportunities with a slight breeze, leaving the Tigers 21 points adrift at three-quarter time.
Coach Scott West urged his players to take the game on in the last term and they did, lighting up Coburg City Oval with swift ball movement, strong marking and more accurate kicking.
Kieran Harper kicked two for the term, one a dribbler in the goalsquare, the other after marking one-handed in a one-on-one contest. When Ben Warren streamed in to give the Tigers a four-point lead it seemed Werribee would pull off the unlikeliest of comeback victories.
But it was thwarted by Clifton, who goaled and got the home crowd roaring, and a free kick against Daniel Currie in a ruck contest deep inside Werribee’s forward 50.
“Who would know what’s going on; the big boys aren’t allowed to touch each other,” West said of the call after the game. He described the loss as “devastating” and said the first half was to blame.
“You can’t play one quarter of footy and expect to win,” he said.
“To have played so poorly early in the game and then get within two points is gut-wrenching and devastating.”
