By JARROD POTTER
VWFL – DIVISION 1 AND 3
THE high-ranking battle between VWFL Division 1 top seeds lived up to its billing as Cranbourne fought from behind to triumph in a five-point salvo against Seaford.
Cranbourne’s early attack was highlighted by wayward kicking going forward. Goals to Kirsten Mcleod and Hayley Wildes were rare successes of a first term mostly spent kicking it straight back to the Tigers’ defenders.
For someone only in her first year of senior football, Wildes continues to be one of Cranbourne’s best week-in, week-out and would be a serious contender for the league’s best-and-fairest.
Cara Mackey had it given to her on a silver plate by Cranbourne as the Seaford centre-half back not only took on the tough task against Bianca Jakobsson but also flung the Tigers consistently into attack.
Cranbourne’s slender half-time gap was erased by Seaford through the third term – as the home side kicked three goals with the breeze to snare an 11-point lead going into the last break.
But even when the chips were down and Seaford’s attack surged ahead, the opposition’s best efforts fell into Cranbourne’s last line of defence Danielle Hardiman.
Hardiman had her best match of the season, springing out of defence and locking the ball inside-50 when the Eagles went up forward.
Her efforts, alongside defender Elli Keatch and the ground-long roaming of Tess McEvoy started to shift the match back to Cranbourne’s favour.
Cranbourne cut the lead back to two via Jakobsson booting the first of the quarter and – as has happened many times this season – it came down to a Wildes’ long-bomb from the point of the arc to get the job done.
With the minutes ticking down in the final term, as Cranbourne couldn’t muster the winning goal, Wildes stepped up and cannoned the match winner through the uprights.
Cranbourne coach Kris Smith said he knew when the match was in the balance late in the third term that his side still had the legs necessary to run away with the win.
“I knew we had enough in the tank and I knew that was never going to be an issue,” Smith said.
“I think we’re the fittest team in the comp, so I knew that we’d come and if we could just kick straight anything could happen.
“We were a bit wasteful in the last quarter – probably could’ve kicked a few more if we kicked straighter – but I’m happy with the result.
“To not play your best and have a couple of players out, guns to come back in, it’s pretty pleasing.”
The win gives the Eagles a half-game break atop the Division 1 ladder heading into the last two rounds.
Cranbourne’s run towards finals continues this weekend against Diamond Creek on Saturday from noon before another finals preview against North Geelong to end the home-and-away season.
Endeavour Hills cantered into the finals after Mordialloc forfeited. The Falcons’ Division 3 team went undefeated across the 2015 home-and-away season and face Kew on Saturday at Shepley Oval in their first final.
