Final siren: Lancaster captain Adam Vick (22) embraces coach Tom Davies after the final siren, while hero of the win Sam Aanensen (second from left) celebrates with Charlie Mclay. Photos: Rohan Aldous.
Underdog Lancaster survived a spirited Stanhope second-half surge to book its spot in this Saturday’s Kyabram District League grand final at Mooroopna.
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The Wombats gave up a half-time lead of 39 points to be headed by Stanhope in the last quarter but rallied bravely in the dying stages to book their spot in the premiership showdown against Murchison-Toolamba, who were too good for Shepparton East in Sunday’s preliminary final.
Saturday’s clash at Tallygaroopna played out in similar fashion to Lancaster’s elimination final win the previous week when the Wombats suffered a second half fade-out against Nagambie but hung on.
Airborne: Lancaster defender Ryley O’Neill was airborne as his team dominated Stanhope in the first half of Saturday’s preliminary final at Tallygaroopna, not allowing the Lions a first-half goal.
Lancaster coach Tom Davies said after the game he had emphasised the importance of his team making a good start and it had proved the difference in the wash-up.
“The pride our boys have is unbelievable,” he said.
“We knew at half-time they would come at us hard after half-time but we were able to fight back after they hit the front, which showed our character.“
Stanhope coach Mark Patten said his side had its chances to win but acknowledged Lancaster deserved the victory as it had brought a little more desperation to the contest than his players.
‘‘Tom Davies really stepped up for them as a leader and showed the way,’’ Patten said.
After only 0.6 to show for themselves at half-time to Lancaster’s 7.3, the Lions kicked six unanswered goals, two each scored by Jason Leocata and Chris Gleeson, to get them rolling in the second half. And when Tim Somerville booted a goal early in the last term from a 100m penalty against the breeze they had hit the front.
But not to be denied, Lancaster dug deep when victory was slipping from its grip to regain the momentum and the lead late in the term, which it defended fiercely to the final siren.
Lancaster’s Sam Aanensen turned hero for the Wombats with the goal that put them back in front in the concluding stages, and the Wombats were in attack when the final siren sounded.
The winners had plenty of fine players, headed by in-form midfielders Zac Cerrone, Cam Simpson and coach Tom Davies, who were busy all day.
Cerrone’s purple patch in the second quarter produced three telling goals but he was a four-quarter contributor for the Wombats.
Brad Orr also played a telling role in Lancaster’s win by restricting the influence of Stanhope gun and McNamara Medal favourite Ryan Semmel, who never kicked a goal.
The Lancaster defence was able to keep Stanhope’s forwards under pressure early, with experienced Phil Carroll the standout but getting plenty of support from Nik McAuliffe and Charlie Mclay.
Stanhope had a star in midfielder Jye Adamson, who couldn’t have done any more to bring his side victory.
Others to hold their own for the Lions were ruckman Dan Flynn, who had an absorbing tussle all day with Lancaster’s Nic Ryan, who was also good for his side again.
Defenders Stuart Trevena, Josh Dickersen, Tim Sommerville and Alex O’Reilly didn’t take a backward step all day while Luke Semmel also did good work.
Lancaster’s selectors have hard decisions to make this week, with star forward Jack Mills to return after serving two weeks’ suspension and midfielder Sam Spedding likely to be available after missing Saturday’s game with injury.
Worrying statistic: Stanhope coach Dennis Grinton points out that the Lions laid just six tackles in the opening quarter of their match with Lancaster on Saturday.
• In the other preliminary final, at Girgarre on Sunday, Murchison-Toolamba had the better of Shepparton East from the start to book its grand final berth.
The Grasshoppers made a positive start, kicking 5.8 to the off-target East’s 1.9 in the first quarter, and were never seriously challenged on the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, running out winners by 35 points.
The combine led by 23 points at quarter-time and 22 at the main break, and extended that to 35 by the final siren.
The winners were able to maximise their chances around goals more efficiently, and their defence, led by Jye Borg and vice-captain Tom Kerrins, stood up manfully on the day.
Key playmakers were ruckman Andrew Lloyd and midfielders Luke Cecchin and Trent Freer while James Lloyd with four goals and Ashton Cashion were active forwards.
East’s better players on the day were Matt Rendina, Zac Groombridge, Brandon Cornish, Shannon Campbell and Tom McCluskey.
Forward pressure: Stanhope goalsneak Jye Patten lays a tackle on Wombats defender Noah Sewell in a high-pressure final term, where Stanhope briefly took a two-point lead before a late Lancaster goal.
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