WYNDHAMVALE withstood a physical barrage from Glenorden to win a feisty Western Region Football League division 2 local derby by 43 points at Wyndhamvale Reserve on Saturday.
Spot fires broke out in the second quarter as tempers flared between the neighbouring clubs, but it was the Falcons that landed the knockout blow on the scoreboard.
Falcons coach Luke Dennerley told the Weekly it was important for his side to stand firm in what was always going to be a bruising opening to a season-at-the-crossroads game.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the big game.
“It’s like a pre-finals final for them in many ways. Us as well. We wanted to cement our spot.
“We knew they were going to come out firing and we just wanted to weather the storm.
“We were hopeful that we could work away and the cracks would appear as the game went on.”
The Falcons turned it on in the second and third quarters, outscoring
the visitors 12 goals to five to put the game out of reach.
On a placid day in the middle of winter, the Falcons were able to show off their neat foot skills and it went some way to determining a winner.
The Falcons had to show a lot of spirit to maintain their effort for four quarters and their bench was decimated by the end, though Dennerley conceded the Hawks were also undermanned and neither side had the real advantage.
“The third quarter was terrific. We came out with a pretty good resolve. We were down to pretty much no interchange bench in the last quarter. They were also missing a few guys and we cashed in there.”
The player who rose to the occasion most was Falcons swingman Daniel Bunworth.
The playing assistant coach bobbed up with four goals in attack before filling in for the injured young full-back Aidan Boland.
“I can’t fault [Bunworth],” Dennerley said. “It’s been the story for him all year. He can play anywhere.”
Veteran Nathan Evans produced another selfless performance in attack and was rewarded with a much-deserved four goals.
Falcons big Nathan Reschke had it all his own way against an undersized Hawks line-up to dominate the aerial contests.
Devan Ellis sacrificed his own glory to cut Hawks skipper Chris Scudamore out of the game.
For the Hawks, Ryan Walker, Brent Petro and Nathan Schmidt battled on gamely. And the superb form of Daniel Lee continued with four goals to make it 19 in his past five matches.
The result had a massive impact on both clubs.
The Falcons received a boost in their quest for a top-three finish and a finals double chance, while the Hawks are sitting uneasy after keeping the door ajar to the finals for sixth-placed Albanvale.
WESTERN REGION FOOTBALL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Division 1
Around the grounds: Altona 15.10 (100) d Spotswood 10.12 (72); Deer Park 17.12 (114) d Hoppers Crossing 7.11 (53); Port Melbourne Colts 21.9 (135) d North Footscray 14.13 (97); Sunshine Heights 6.2 (38) lt St Albans 43.21 (279); Sunshine 17.14 (116) d Albion 9.9 (63).
Ladder: Altona (240.53) 52, Spotswood (185.38) 48, Hoppers Crossing (138.57) 40, Port Melbourne Colts (137.55) 40, Sunshine (130.60) 32, Deer Park (111.93) 28, St Albans (94.55) 20, Albion (69.32) 16, North Footscray (56.97) 4, Sunshine Heights (22.29) 0.
Next round: Albion v Port Melbourne Colts (Parsons Reserve), Deer Park v Sunshine (John McLeod Oval), Hoppers Crossing v St Albans (Hogans Road Reserve), North Footscray v Altona (Hansen Reserve), Spotswood v Sunshine Heights (McLean Reserve).
Division 2
Around the grounds: Laverton 4.8 (32) lt Albanvale 30.21 (201); Parkside 14.10 (94) d Coburg Districts 11.8 (74); West Footscray 19.20 (134) d Braybrook 8.14 (62); Wyndhamvale 15.10 (100) d Glenorden 8.9 (57); Yarraville-Seddon 22.21 (153) d Caroline Springs 2.3 (15).
Ladder: Yarraville Seddon Eagles (478.14) 52, Parkside (182.28) 44, Wyndhamvale (183.93) 36, Coburg Districts (177.73) 36, Glenorden (170.32) 34, West Footscray (132.41) 28. Albanvale (150.51) 26, Caroline Springs (68.69) 16, Braybrook (47.61) 12, Laverton Magpies (49.94) 8, North Sunshine (5.43) 0.
Next round: Albanvale v Parkside (Robert Bruce Reserve), Braybrook v Wyndhamvale (Pennell Reserve), Caroline Springs v North Sunshine (Town Centre Oval), Glenorden v Yarraville-Seddon (Heathdale Oval), Laverton v Coburg Districts (Laverton Park).
