City led right through the game but were challenged on many ocassions as Terrigal tried to find chinks in the armour - and it almost worked! City won 16-9 105 to 13-10 87 highlighted by 7 goals to Jon Joy.
The game started well for City with Cameron Keast, Anthony Stewart, Tom Hunt and Matt Bailey getting quick dominant posessions. Opening goal to City after a free kick to nippy Gerard Bourke booting it to Joy for his first. Terrigal quickly responded for their first. They seem to set their style of play early going short, looking for their men at every opportunity and running around the City dominant players. But the City big men monstered on with Keast getting the ball to Sam Payne who crashed through the pack to boot it to Joy who got a free kick and kicked truly for his second goal. Terrigal countered City's play by sitting an extra player in their defence and running the ball out quickly with numbers. They started to gain more ball but failed to capitalise. City meanwhile stuck to their plan of booting it long into the forward line but it was being continually cut off by Terrigal's tall timber. A quick goal to Terrigal then bad signs for City as a lack of talk saw Abe Gibson and Joy collide heavily on the grandstand wing. Shortly after a crude attempt to tackle Bourke resulted in a free kick to him and ended in a goal to City. Matty Enright started to get his hands on the ball with good clearance kicking. Michael Healey sprang off half back, followed forward, cut off a Terrigal clearance and goaled. The game evenly poised with City up at the first break 4-1 to 2-3.
Terrigal started well in the second term, getting a quick goal. They continued to chip around searching for their players, spreading wide and maintaining posession. Riley Lang got into the action with a good passage of play getting the ball to Hunt, onto Josh Wheeler and to Courtney Knight for his first for the day. A few minutes later Terrigal responded with a goal. Josh Wheeler then booted a long range goal from the Parry st flank for his first. Not long after Riley Lang damaged his shoulder, coming off for the game. Bailey was put back to full back that seemed to take some drive away from the half back flank. Play was bottled up somewhat as both sides battled in close - not pretty football with the umpires allowing play to scramble. All of a sudden a quick break with the speedy Jon Hamilton getting it to Josh Wheeler for his second goal. Not long after, Cornwall came into the Ruck getting it to Mark Wheeler, to Keast and onto Hamilton for a goal. Several other good set up plays were cut off by Terrigal as City seemed to try to go too long at times. Players got frustrated with several scuffles breaking out late in the quarter. Play was basically kick to kick for a while until Terrigal goaled. City started to dominate near the end of the quarter - Josh Wheeler getting it to Enright for a great goal. The quarter ended with inspirational defensive play by Josh Wheeler and Stewart. Half time saw City maintain their lead 9-4 to 5-5.
Terrigal came out firing after the long break booting two quick goals to rattle City who looked patchy and indecisive. Bailey stood tall at full back whilst many of his team mates seemed a bit meek and mild. A few sparkes evident with Keast tapping to Stewart and onto Josh Wheeler who hit the post. But things went down for City as they gave away a heap of free kicks. Terrigal's third goal for the quarter came from pinpoint passing whilst City were still banging it long with little effect. City suddenly came back to life with a long accurate kick by Ned Shanahan to Joy who booted his third goal. Not long after Ian Baker drove a lovely pass off the wing to Joy for his forth goal. Gerard Bourke continued to fight hard laying a moral lifting tackle. But Terrigal replied with a goal. Things went a bit quite again for City until Knight ran down a Panther, won the free kick, kicked long into the forward line, Joy getting a free kick to boot his fifth goal. Play was stop - start for a while with the umpires awarding free kick after free kick. Josh Wheeler was a recipient of a free and took advantage by booting his third. Play was very untidy near the end of the term with Terrigal booting a late goal. Terrigal outscored City 6-3 to 4-1 but City maintained their lead going into the last break 13-5 83 to 11-8 74, setting up a tight final quarter.
Good signs for City as Josh Avis marked at centre half forward and kicked his first goal early in the last term. Terrigal wrestled the ball away from City during a pretty scrappy patch. A couple of good forward thrusts by City were continually cut off by Terrigal. Some soft play allowed Terrigal to get the ball around the boundary line - thankfully City's defence was up to it. Josh Wheeler kicked an absolute beauty of a low hard 'spear' into Joy who booted his sixth goal. He may be bruised on the chest from the lace marks off the ball! Terrigal again kicked a quick goal in response. It was half way through the last term with City seeming to play selfish footy, trying to run over Terrigal who responded with some good tackles. Slow disposal options by the Blues allowed Terrigal some cheap kicks. Hamilton was gutsy, awarded a free kick that again sparked a flurry of possessions to City but it again broke down by long bombs. Terrigal responded again pin pointing their players to boot a goal, tightening City's lead to 9 points with a few minutes left to play. Things stabilised with City winning clearances, Josh Wheeler riping through with good evasive play getting it to Joy who kicked his seventh goal. A few points to round out the game as the siren sounded. City held Terrigal out winning 16-9 to 13-10.
The City lads may need to examine their game plan as far too many times possessions were lost from long bombs. Other sides may find a chink in the armour by running around the flanks and pin pointing passes.
Goals to Joy (7), Josh Wheeler (3) and singles to Knight, Enright, Avis, Bourke, Healey and Hamilton.
City's best Bourke, Enright, Joy, Bailey, Healey, Keast & Hamilton
Last Modified on 09/10/2012 09:28