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FALCONS HANG TOUGH

BY DARRELL KENT

West Perth toughed it out for four quarters against top team Swan Districts at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday. The Black Ducks have been in very good form in recent weeks and had set up a two game break at the top of the table but the Falcons showed just what they are capable of when they worked hard to stay in the game early before they grabbed the lead just before half time and maintained it to the final siren.

It was all Swans in the first seventeen minutes of the opening term. They have a history of starting matches in blistering form and this week was no exception. Ash Hansen kicked their first two goals but the West Perth defensive pressure saw this supplemented with five behinds as they established a sixteen point lead at this point. Shane Nelson narrowed the margin with a behind before he marked fifty out shortly after. His kick split the middle. This was a precursor to a best on ground performance by the classy young midfielder. A Jay Van Berlo handball to Matt Guadagnin resulted in the Falcons second major. He ran into goal and finished from twenty. Both teams kicked behinds to finish the quarter and at the first change the Falcons had done a terrific job to trail by just four. The scores were 2.7 (19) to 2.3 (15).

West Perth had the best of it early in the second quarter and started with two behinds. Ash Hansen then kicked his third against the run of play to take the lead out to eight. A behind to Kepler Bradley narrowed the margin before Matt Guadagnin passed to Anthony Tsalikis who kicked the first of his two from thirty. Two more behinds to the Falcons saw the scores tied up at the eleven minute mark. Swans steadied to kick the next two including a fourth to Hansen. Matt Guadagnin then, once again, got the ball into “Slick’s” hands and he kicked his second. Scores were all tied up once more when Brent LeCras handballed to the busy Matt Guadagnin who kicked his second. Tim Geappen, who was well held all day by the Falcon defence, kicked a behind before “VB” was on the end of a series of handballs which saw him kick accurately to establish a five point lead just before half time. This was the margin at the main break; the scores were 6.8 (44) to 5.9 (39).

The third quarter was a low scoring affair that the Falcons had the better of. They showed determination to set up a three goal lead and then work hard to maintain it. Andrew Strijk kicked the first of three second half clutch goals after two minutes and when Kepler marked fifteen out and scored the lead was eighteen. Ashley Hansen then kicked his fifth at the ten minute mark to reduce the margin to twelve. This was to be their only goal for the quarter; they did control the next ten minutes but only managed four behinds. Darcy Barden then found some space to find Marc Crisp forty out. His straight kick from forty gave West Perth some much needed breathing space. The Falcons kicked two more behinds to finish the quarter and took a sixteen point lead into the final quarter. Scores were 9.12 (66) to 6.14 (50).

The final term was a tribute to the tenacity of the West Perth defence. They withstood tremendous pressure, with the support of the midfield, to ensure victory. Behinds were the order of the day until a Marlon Motlop major reduced the margin to seven. Andrew Strijk then showed real poise to mark forty out and kick his second. The lead was back to fourteen at the nineteen minute mark. But the game was not done with as Swans kicked another shortly after. The game was well and truly on at this stage until the class of Andrew Strijk showed through once again. He took the ball off the pack to kick his third. This was at the twenty five minute mark. Ryan Davis kicked another for the Black Ducks but Falcons supporters heaved a large sigh of relief when the siren went shortly after cementing an eight point victory. Final scores were: 11.13 (79) to 9.17 (71).

It was a victory that kept the season alive and it was just the fillip after the disappointing performance last week. It really was a testament to all involved at the Club. Much credit must be given to the West Perth defence for their tight checking all day. Best players were Ray Bartholomew, Brent LeCras who has had a terrific six or seven weeks, Matt Guadagnin, Mark Hutchings, Steven Browne and best was Shane Nelson who showed his class in more ways than one. The Colts had a victory but the Reserves suffered a heart breaking loss in the last seconds of the game after fighting back to grab the lead late in the last quarter. Best players for the Reserves included Jordan Mills, Joel Latham, Mitch Brown and Josh Donaldson. A week off before another crucial encounter against the Bulldogs. The season will once again be on the line so be there to help get the Falcons over the line.

PHOTOS BY BELINDA TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

 

 

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