By MARK HEENAN
GEELONG Amateur fought off a gutsy first half Grubber challenge to overrun Ocean Grove by 21 points in their round 10 clash at Shell Road on June 4.
The home side led the reigning BFL premier until half-time before Amateur clicked into gear to overturn an 11-point deficit and then took a 23-point lead at three-quarter time.
Final scores Geelong Amateur 12.17 (89) to Ocean Grove 10.8 (68).
Critically second-placed Amateur killed off the Grubbers’ momentum with three quick goals inside the first five minutes of third term and never looked back.
Geelong Amateur playing coach Rowan McSparron said a sustained third quarter effort in slippery and greasy conditions was a catalyst in the victory.
“They (Ocean Grove) were lower and harder and they were first at the footy in the first half,” McSparron said.
“They (Ocean Grove) were fantastic with their pressure, but we train pretty intensely to work through that kind of stuff.
“You have got to play consistent and it wasn’t five or 10 minutes in the third quarter, it was a sustained effort for that third quarter.”
Ocean Grove coach Wayne Walsh said the Grubbers went away from their contested man on man structures after half-time which he concedes had an impact on the final result.
“We are just having a bad 15 minutes a game and every game we have done that (the opposition) has done that it has killed us and we haven’t got the ability to get three or four goals back,” Walsh said.
“As soon as our players started dropping off their opponents and not playing that one-on-one football we allowed them (Amateur) to get on top and find space.”
EARLIER Ocean Grove new recruit Michael King burst out of the blocks and kicked three goals by half-time.
Grubber prized midfielder James Linton, who kicked two goals, and skipper Kelly Williams both dominated the stoppages in the first half.
Youngsters Matt Caldow and Harry Walker both competed well and were keys in defence.
Amateur midfielder Brad King continued his mid-season purple patch, while Hamish Dahl kicked four goals and veteran Tim Clark booted three majors in the absence of sharpshooter Mitch Day.
An inaccurate Amateur kicked 1.7 in the final quarter but still managed have a firm grip on match with more inside 50-metre entries in the final quarter to secure the win.
AMATEUR dominated the reserves grade curtain raiser and thrashed Ocean Grove by 83 points.
Final scores Geelong Amateur 17.14 (116) to Ocean Grove 5.3 (33).
The visitors kept the home side scoreless in the first quarter.
Although the margin blew out to 41 points at the main break, Ocean Grove was far more competitive in the second quarter with three goals compared to Amateur’s five majors.
After half-time, Amateur kicked 7.13 where as the Grubbers kicked 2.1.
Amateur player Ross Fagan kicked four goals for the visitors.
Ocean Grove’s Hamish Hoober continued his good season and was named in his side’s best players.
Ocean Grove remains in ninth place on the BFL reserves table with a 1-9 record after 10 rounds.
IN the under-18 Colts Division 2 Bendigo Bank Cup, Ocean Grove 1 went down by four points against Geelong Amateur 1 in a thriller played at Shell Road.
Final scores Geelong Amateur 10.8 (68) to Ocean Grove 9.10 (64).
Young Grubber Fletcher Sharrock kicked three goals for the home side.
In the earlier under-18 Division 4 clash at Shell Road, Geelong Amateur 2 won more comfortably against Ocean Grove 2 by 22 points.
Final scores Geelong Amateur 8.11 (59) to Ocean Grove 5.7 (37).
Grubber players Jesse Caliguri and Jackson Peters both kicked two individual goals.
BFL SENIORS SCOREBOARD
FINAL SCORES
GEELONG AMATEUR 12.17 (89) DEFEATED OCEAN GROVE 10.8 (68)
Ocean Grove
Goal Kickers: M. King 3, J. Linton 2, M. Rotumah-Onus 2, D. Freeman, K. Williams, J. Pumphrey
Best Players: M. Caldow, H. Walker, J. Linton, K. Williams, J. Anderson, J. Pumphrey
