By RORY O’NEILL
ON a cold, wet and windy afternoon at Monk Oval, the visitors jumped Marby with cleaner possession by hand and foot.
With Strathmore kicking with the breeze, they were able to kick seven unanswered goals, including three to Matthew Little and one after the siren from Dylan Jordan.
The rout would have been worse if not for Lions captain-coach Robert Castello defending across the back line.
A highlight of the quarter was the ruck dual between ex-North Melbourne and Geelong big man Hamish McIntosh and Maribyrnong Park tall Chris Prowse.
At the change, Strathmore led 7.4-46 to Marby’s mere 0.3-3
The Lions used the wind and fought back in the second term, with their first goal of the match coming from Cameron Lee at the two-and-a-half-minute mark.
Using his height to advantage, Nick Prowse then chimed in to kick three consecutive goals, which meant at halftime the home team had narrowed the deficit to 18 points, trailing 4.7-31 to 7.7-49.
After the long break, the wind dropped and both teams struggled to score.
Marby forward Nick Prowse added to his tally, whilst at the other end, Andrew Horne drew a 50-metre penalty and kicked truly after exaggerating a push in the back by his opponent.
With Castello on the ball, aided by Brendon Hollow, Marby attacked but were held out by the Strathmore defence.
During the term, the umpires paid a Michael Firrito style deliberate handball over the goal line against Strathmore but Marby were unable to convert.
At the last change, the Mores held a 15-point lead, 8.9-57 to Marby 5.12-42.
In the last quarter, the Lions led the possession count, but could only manage to kick 1.4 for the quarter.
In the dying minutes of the game, the Mores were able to shake off a desperate Lions outfit.
With a goal within the last four minutes of the game, Strathmore maintained their lead to run out eventual winners 9.11-65 to an inaccurate Marby 6.16-52.
After the match, Strathmore coach Dale May said the difference between the two teams was the Mores’ strong first quarter.
He was also pleased with how his team scrapped and fought for the ball, particularly in the last quarter, where he played an extra man in defence.
Robbie Castello felt that undisciplined errors and poor kicking for goal had cost his side dearly, but he was pleased with their fightback after quarter time.
Castello was also asked about how he coped with coaching and playing at the same time, to which he replied: “It’s easy to be caught up in the emotion of the match, but I have good off-field staff to maintain a good balance.”
MARIBYRNONG PARK | 6.16-52
Best: J. McKenzie, N. Prowse, B. Hollow, J. Breust, C. Vearing, R. Castello
Goals: N. Prowse 4, C. Lee, B. Jones
STRATHMORE | 9.11-65
Best: M. Little 3, D. Jordan 2, A. Iacobucci, D. Bramley, A. Horne, H. McIntosh
Goals: B. Butler, H. McIntosh, A. Van Meel, D. Jordan, J. Helliwell, M. Corrigan
