By TOBIE CHAPMAN
MARIBYRNONG Park have found a return to early season form with a thrilling nine-point win against Greenvale.
Maribyrnong Park held a 46-point advantage at the final break after breaking the game open with a seven-goal-to-one third term.
Greenvale responded with an inspired final term as they kicked four goals in almost as many minutes late in the term to reduce the margin to four points, before the Lions were able to seal it with a late goal against the run of play.
It was a scrappy, hard-fought contest in the first half, both sides struggling in gusty conditions.
Much of the contest was fought around the stoppages, with Fabian Deluca often having the better of his opponent Chris Prowse, but surprisingly Greenvale’s strong midfield were unable to make use of their hit-out advantage.
Marby Park successfully negated the Jets contested ball winners, limiting the likes of Nick Lower, Samuel Zumbo and Matthew Vasilevski.
Lions forward Nick Prowse was dangerous early, marking well and kicking accurately to have his three goals by early in the second quarter.
Greenvale’s goalkicking was poor in the first half, kicking only three goals from 12 scores and deservedly trailed at the major break despite an improved second quarter performance.
Neither side had been able to take advantage of the difficult breeze, but the Lions took control in a dominant third term to break the game completely open. Robbie Castello and Caleb Vearing began to assert themselves on the contest, standing tall for Marby.
Trent Shinners was well held by the Lions defence but managed to kick the Jets only goal for the quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stem the flow.
Late in the quarter, Vearing won a loose ball, burst past an opponent and delivered a neat kick to his partner in battle Castello who converted to push the margin out to 46 points.
Earlier in the final term the game appeared to be headed to an inevitable conclusion with much of the intensity taken out of it.
With the margin still sitting at 31 points with almost 10 minutes gone the Jets chances appeared over after Deluca recklessly bumped Daniel Schibeci with a teammate running into an open goal.
However, the Jets continued to rally and their efforts soon began to pay off against a Marby Park side who looked content to just run the game out. The margin still hung at 33 points with 20 minutes played when Jacob Thompson kicked his first goal of the day.
Off the centre clearance the Jets sprang into action, the ball cleared straight into the forward line where Nick Maric pounced to bring the margin back to 21 points.
Deluca had by now began to assert himself in the ruck contest, and his tap down resulted in another Jets clearance, the long kick forward marked strongly by backman Matthew Smith who lined up and converted.
The next centre bounce resulted in a third straight Greenvale clearance, and although the resulting kick went to ground, Shinners burst through a pack to kick the goal to reduce the margin to nine points.
Greenvale had now kicked four goals in almost four minutes and Maribyrnong Park were rattled and lacking composure. They managed to counter attack, sending the ball forward where it ended up in the hands of Nick Prowse, but he was unable to convert.
Matthew Smith’s switch forward continued to pay dividends, as he proved too good for his opponent to take another strong grab on Greenvale’s next expedition forward.
He kicked truly once more, and with 27 minutes gone it was a four-point ball game.
In what would prove to be the deciding contest, Deluca took the ball out of the centre bounce and threw it on the boot.
Castello, who had been prolific all day for Marby, picked Deluca’s pocket, stealing it off the boot.
A quick handball to the already running Brendon Hollow and Marby were away.
A long, searching ball into their 50 fell near the behind post where Jess Morano marked under heavy attention.
On a tough angle, he ran around and snapped, sending Maribyrnong Park ahead by 10 points and sealing the game, ending a thrilling final quarter to send the home crowd into raptures.
MARIBYRNONG PARK | 13.13-91
Goal Kickers: N. Prowse 3, R. Castello 3, C. Van Der Byl 2, J. Morano 2, J. McKenzie, S. Bevan, C. Vearing
Best Players: R. Castello, C. Vearing, C. Van Der Byl, J. McKenzie, N. Prowse, S. Bevan
GREENVALE | 11.16-82
Goal Kickers: M. Smith 2, J. Walker 2, T. Shinners 2, S. Zumbo, F. Caruso, N. Lower, J. Thompson, N. Maric
Best Players: F. Caruso, F. Deluca, D. Burns, M. Smith, S. Zumbo, M. Vasilevski
