Roosters end Boro streak


Published on Sunday, July 23, 2017

Author : Jarryd Barca

West Preston-Lakeside put an end to Greensborough’s seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 47-point win in Round 13 of Meadows Greyhounds Division 1.

The Roosters kept the in-form Boro to just one goal after the four-minute mark of the second term, storming home with 11 of the game’s last 13 goals to win 14.5 (89) to 6.6 (42) at J.E. Moore Park.

Despite the difficult breeze, it was once again Ahmed Saad who inspired the home side to its ninth win of the season, booting seven majors– the sixth time this season he has kicked more than six goals.

Saad was joined by Stefan Balassopoulos as the only multiple goal scorers on the ground in a game where goals were hard-earned.

Luke Lirosi, Jackson Clarke and Matthew Vincitorio played huge roles in the home side’s win, finding plenty of the ball and often breaking the lines through the middle of the ground.

Nick Riddle and Jack Johnston’s defensive efforts were sound all day for Greensborough, while Ricky Mullins and John Desmond were key contributors and often found themselves at the bottom of the packs.

Ability to hit targets by foot went out the door early as the strong wind heavily dictated the game.

The Boro drew first blood with a set shot goal to Andrew Stellas, before the home side showed plenty of resilience with its kicking and registered the next three goals of the quarter against the wind.

It took time for the Boro to adjust to the conditions, moving the ball much better at the midway stage of the first term.

Led by Mullins and Jacob Ireland, the clearances were being dominated by the visitors who put through the next three majors via Chris Clark, Brody Tickell and Billy Bedford to take a seven-point lead into quarter time.

Vincitorio’s set shot goal gave the home side the start they were after in the second quarter, but his effort was responded by Daniel McLinden, who floated forward and converted from the forward pocket.

But the home dominated thereafter and used the wind to its advantage to jump out to a three-goal half time lead. The Roosters were dangerous every time they went forward, as opposed to the Boro who struggled to find an imposing target in the forward line.

The third quarter evidently saw an increase in tackling pressure and intensity as scoring opportunity was limited.

Balassopoulos’ second major at the three-minute mark and Rhys Boyden’s set shot seconds before the three-quarter time siren were the only goals kicked in a scrappy third term.

Trailing by 20 points at the last change of ends, the Boro threw everything at the contest in a desperate attempt to make a late comeback.

The visitors had the ball in their forward half for the best part of 10 minutes and for the first time since the early stages of the match, the Roosters looked under genuine pressure.

But Greensborough was unable to reflect its dominance on the scoreboard and the Roosters weren’t to be denied, with an opportunistic goal from Saad on the boundary breaking the deadlock in the last quarter and opening up a commanding 24-point lead.

The Roosters kicked the next four unanswered goals through Saad (three) and Jacob Ramaekers to put the game well beyond doubt in an excellent final term, with the home side remaining just percentage off third spot and a double chance spot in the finals.

The result now opens up a two-game buffer between the fourth-placed Roosters and the fifth-placed Boro.

Final score: West Preston-Lakeside 14.5 (89) def Greensborough 6.6 (42)

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