Match report: 11/7/15, Division 3, Bendigo v Caulfield at Caulfield Park
All the way from Lancefield to Caulfield it either poured, or looked like it would in a minute. Icy big drops. All morning, the radio forecasts had been grimly warning of blizzard conditions and hail that would rake the pitch during the afternoon. Happily, it never happened and while we had dark, cold conditions, the rain held off for the whole game.
Caulfield were mixed a side including a handful of old players and some nifty juniors, with a full bench to begin the game with. Bendigo had 12 players to start.
The first quarter was very even. Both sides used the ball well in attack and it felt very much like Bendigo had a good chance of matching Caulfield in the early stages. Caulfield scored twice in the quarter, as did Bendigo: John Webb punching home a nice underarm shot from a flawless Alex Orr assist (earning myself both a goal and an unfriendly tagger for much of the match, sadly), and Alex Orr was able to drive in from the front left and score in a trademark move, much to the annoyance of the Caulfield backs, who remembered too late that he tends to do that. We went to the first break two all.
Caulfield began to settle their forward line in the second quarter and kept more possession and it showed in an increased number of shots, five of which found the back of the net, but many more either missed or were expertly stopped by goalie Gino Iuliano, who quite simply played a blinder and kept Bendigo in it. Up at the forward line, Alex Orr also helped to keep the margin low by scoring two great goals for the Warhawks and admirably assisted another with a good hard pass to Ian Lock’s quick hands on the crease. Caulfield led seven to five at half time.
In the second half the Caulfield attack was better held by the Warhawk backline, and some ill feeling crept into the game, leading to a high number fouls to both teams, which is uncharacteristic for Bendigo, and to one Bendigo player being fouled out of the match, rather controversially. In the mean time, Ian Lock and Steve Nunn struggled to stay on the field with injury and so the Warhawks played much of the second half with no bench. As a result, and despite some good efforts and shots, the Bendigo team found themselves unable to trouble the scorers in the second half, while Caulfield added five more to run out winners 12 – 5.
Bendigo played a good game with a short bench, and the Warhawk defence held strong and continually frustrated the Caulfield attack, who expended shot after shot, only to miss or have it gathered by Gino. So the votes are no surprise: three club and two Association votes to Alex Orr, two club votes to Gino Iuliano and a single club vote to Mark Reader.
Next week, the Warhawks host Footscray at Maiden Gully, Bendigo
John Webb
Last Modified on 14/07/2015 15:35