Match Report Vs. North Ballarat
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Coburg traveled to Austar Arena on Saturday to take on North Ballarat. It was the second time this season the two sides had met, the first going the Burgers way by three goals.
It was another cold day at Ballarat, although there was no breeze at all and according to the locals it was the nicest day of the week. The ground was in a muddy but serviceable condition, but throughout the match players constantly lost their feet on the spongy surface. Although it wasn’t always shown on the scoreboard, North Ballarat seemed to have control of the game for the entire match, and ran out 20 point winners.
1st Quarter
Al Neville gave the Burgers the perfect start as he snapped the first of the match within 90 seconds, only to see the Roosters kick two of their own in quick succession. Ballarat controlled the play for the next fifteen minutes but erratic kicking at goal saved Coburg as the Roosters kicked seven straight points. Jack Riewoldt and Daniel Connors were fantastic in the back half and collected 19 touches between them in the first quarter. Kelvin Moore kicked a tricky goal from the boundary, followed by a similar goal from Schultz late in the term to level the scores at the early break. North Ballarat had dominated the play; as the nine scoring shots to four suggests, but their conversion was atrocious.
¼ Time: Coburg 3.1 (19) North Ballarat 2.7 (19)
2nd Quarter
Joe Gazzo snapped an early goal for the Burgers, but controversial free kicks to the Roosters allowed them to hit back with two goals; similar to what happened in the first term. Kent Kingsley snagged two important goals for the quarter; both were excellent kicks on the run from outside 50m. However Coburg tempers began to flare as Ballarat kicked their third goal of the quarter courtesy of free kicks. Jarrod Silvester was fantastic deep in defence as he continuously marked the incoming Rooster kicks and he was well supported by Riewoldt, who stood tall in his role at Centre Half Back.
Kelvin Moore kicked his second late in the quarter to put the Burgers within eleven points at the main break.
½ Time: Coburg 7.4 (46) North Ballarat 8.9 (57)
3rd quarter
The Roosters came out firing and kicked two early goals, before Joe Gazzo ended a chain of handballs with Coburgs first for the quarter. 18 year old Shane Edwards was dynamic in the third term; his pace and skill excited the small crowd kept Coburg from slipping further behind. He set up Hartigan for a goal and created other opportunities that Coburg unfortunately didn’t take advantage of.
Al Neville’s fantastic work rate was rewarded in a goal to himself as he gathered the ball in the backline and kept running to get it back and kick accurately to put the Burgers only seven points down late in the term. Although Simmons and Graham dominated in the ruck, Ballarat’s midfield seemed to read the taps well and had dominated the clearances 14-7 at three quarter time.
¾ Time: Coburg 10.10 (70) North Ballarat 11.13 (79)
4th Quarter
After an early Rooster goal; Kingsley and Riewoldt goaled for the Burgers to put them within three points, and you got the feeling that the Burgers were about to run away with the game like they have done many times so far this season. However Hartigan and Kingsley missed opportunities from inside 50m and Ballarat punished them by running forward and kicking quick multiple goals to put the margin out of Coburg’s reach.
Jarrod Sylvester was brilliant at full back and took many contested marks for the match. Angus Graham won the ruck all day and was well supported by Troy Simmons who made a positive comeback and will only get better. Jack Riewoldt was again very solid at Centre Half Back, and moved forward in the second half and took multiple contested marks.
Coburg are back at home next week and face Port Melbourne in a tough match on Sunday 1st July.
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