By AKSHAY KAPADIA
SATURDAY’S game between the Demons and the Tigers was a battle of second and third, in what would be pivotal towards each side’s claim for a Grand Final appearance later in the year.
Last week, Tullamarine helped themselves with a 90-point smashing of Hadfield, while Westmeadows took care of finals hopefuls Taylors Lakes with a 57-point win.
This game was going to showcase a battle for second spot, and it delivered just that.
The first quarter was slippery and wet. It made clean and effective disposal hard to come by.
And accuracy wasn’t the best, all around the ground.
The first goal came in the 14th minute of the game with Jacks Sims slotting one for Tullamarine.
A reply came quick for Westmeadows with a snap from the forward pocket.
The quarter ended with a goal after the siren for the Tigers, leaving them three points behind the Demons at quarter time.
The sun came out for the second quarter, and while there were still some ineffective disposals, clean possession was much easier to come by.
Sean Doyle got the quarter off to a good start for the Demons kicking a long bomb from the 50-metre arc.
But the quarter went to Westmeadows as they took control, kicking the next three goals, though inaccuracy upfront cost them what could have been a much bigger lead.
They were only able to kick five goals from their 14 scoring shots on target in the first half, keeping the Demons in the hunt.
The ground and ball seemed to dry up a bit in the second half.
Westmeadows kicked the first two of the quarter, and by the 16-minute mark of the quarter they had a 26-point lead.
Tullamarine was able to reply kicking two of their own, before Foster kicked another late in the quarter.
At the end of the quarter, the Tigers were up by 19 points, and it looked as though the game was slightly out of reach for the Demons.
But was that not the case.
The Tigers got the first of the quarter, before goals to Joel Flanigan, Chris Pereira-Oliva and Justin Marcy had the Demons eight points off the pace at the 12-minute mark.
Westmeadows kicked the next two goals, and then Tullamarine replied to draw it back to just over two kicks at the 21-minute mark.
Tullamarine knew they didn’t have much time left and needed to bring men forward.
They kicked the next two and there was two points separating the two sides with only three minutes left in the game.
It would have been a brilliant comeback for the Demons if they could pull it off.
But Foster has other ideas.
He took the game out to eight points again.
A rushed behind moved Tullamarine one point closer, but was it just out of reach for them?
Another burst of hope came for the Demons fans when Pereira-Oliva made the difference one point.
It was all or nothing from here on.
The result didn’t end well for Tullamarine going down by that one point.
The game could have been much different if early chances were taken.
The rain definitely had an effect on the game and the result. Westmeadows early inaccuracy kept Tullamarine in the game and it nearly cost them.
This win for Westmeadows means that they stay in touch with Craigieburn at the top, and have a two-game gap on Oak Park who now sits at third.
Tullamarine move down to fourth on the ladder, but only due to percentage.
TULLAMARINE | 13.5-83
Goal Kickers: C. Pereira-Oliva 4, J. Flanigan 2, C. Laurie 2, N. Tieppo, S. Doyle, J. Sims, J. Marcy, W. Geyer
Best Players: J. Sims, D. Foote, C. Laurie, J. Burns, C. Steele, D. Brockway
WESTMEADOWS | 12.12-84
Goal Kickers: J. Foster 6, C. Campbell, B. Heathcote, J. Hollow, N. Taylor, A. Turner, M. Welsh
Best Players: J. Foster, B. Allouch, M. Peters, M. O''Neill, G. Laidler, A. Evans
