Sport

Phillips’ goal helps secure two-point win

By Rohan Aldous

Sep 12, 2022

Kangaroo crash: Girgarre ruckman Dom Pangrazio attempts this mark as Lancaster’s Shane Arnold arrives late to spoil his efforts.

Steve Phillips’ last-minute goal for Lancaster reserves has given the Wombats a place in this weekend’s Kyabram district league grand final.

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Phillips kicked his third goal in the dying stages of the preliminary final with Murchison-Toolamba at Girgarre on Sunday, giving the Wombats a two-point win, 6.7 (43) to 6.5 (41).

The Wombats will now confront the unbeaten Avenel team in the grand final after the Swans beat Stanhope by 27 points on Saturday.

It was Lancaster 10th straight win, coming after successive finals victories against Dookie and Shepparton East.

The Wombats were slow out of the gates, trailing by 17 points at quarter time and 10 points at the long break. After half-time Lancaster kicked four goals to Murchison-Toolamba’s two for a fighting win.

Phillips made eight appearances with the Lancaster senior team in the first half of the season, but in 11 reserve-grade games has now kicked 23 goals.

Michael Orr offered support to Phillips, as did Trent McNamara, while Daniel Foley was another with senior experience to stand up in the final term.

He has been brilliant in his 11 games at reserve-grade level and will be an important player in the grand final.

Avenel will be a raging favourite for the final, having beaten Lancaster by 102 points in their only meeting of the season — way back in round six.

∎ Stanhope managed only two second-half goals against the powerful Avenel reserve-grade outfit on Saturday, having been just four points behind at the long break.

The Lions were off target in front of goal, converting only four of its 13 scoring shots in the 9.6 (60) to 4.9 (33) defeat. All four goals came from different sources, with veteran Mark Adamson and Lucas Hanslow the pick of the attacking players.

Jacob Gillie battled hard with Brady Wileman, as did Alec Young, but had no answer for big Avenel forward Cameron Nickson — who was the only multiple goalkicker for the match with three.

∎ Lancaster’s Under-18 team completed the trifecta when it kicked three final-quarter goals to shake off a determined Girgarre, playing on its home ground in the knockout final.

Lancaster led by seven points at quarter time and by two at the half, then kicked four goals to one after half-time for the 8.9 (57) to 5.6 (36) victory.

Girgarre defender Ben Campbell was his team’s best player, while Michael Turpin kicked two goals and supported the midfield work of Riley Wakenshaw.

Riley Williams, who now has 52 goals from 15 games for Lancaster, kicked two in the victory and had support from captain Shannon Fleming and Jayden Taylor.

Rolling up his sleeves: Stanhope’s football season ended on two fronts at Tallygaroopna on Saturday, in spite of the defensive efforts of reserves player Danyon Stockdale.

KDL SCOREBOARD

SENIORS

Stanhope 0.5, 0.6, 5.11, 7.12 (54)

Lancaster 2.0, 7.3, 8.3, 9.6 (60)

GOALS, Stanhope: C. Gleeson 2, J. Leocata 2, A. O’Reilly 1, S. Woodward 1, T. Somerville 1, Lancaster: Z. Cerrone 3, Z. Besim 2, C. O’neill 1, K. Kydd 1, L. Davies 1, S. Aanensen 1.

BEST, Stanhope: J. Adamson, D. Flynn, J. Dickerson, S. Trevena, T. Somerville, A. O’Reilly, Lancaster: Z. Cerrone, T. Davies, C. Simpson, P. Carroll, B. Orr, C. McLay.

RESERVES

Avenel 3.1, 3.3, 8.4, 9.6 (60)

Stanhope 1.1, 2.5, 2.7, 4.9 (33)

GOALS, Avenel: C. Nickson 3, A. Pendlebury 1, B. Speechley 1, J. Carrafa 1, N. Woods 1, N. Fichera 1, T. Gurkin 1, Stanhope: A. Cooper 1, J. Canny 1, L. Hanslow 1, M. Adamson 1.

BEST, Stanhope: J. Gillie, A. Young, L. Hanslow, J. Fisher, M. Adamson, B. Wileman.

Murchison-Toolamba 3.1, 4.2, 5.3, 6.5 (41)

Lancaster 0.2, 2.4, 4.6, 6.7 (43)

GOALS, Murchison-Toolamba: J. Peck 2, N. Turner 2, D. Palmer 1, H. Ewart 1.

UNDER-18

Nagambie 2.6, 4.9, 5.10, 9.14 (68)

Dookie United 1.0, 3.2, 4.6, 5.7 (37)

GOALS, Nagambie: W. Dalton 3, L. Black 2, B. Ezard 1, C. Kelly 1, L. Old 1, R. Old 1, Dookie United: H. Walsh 2, C. Exton 1, L. Sommers 1, T. Fitzsimmons 1.

BEST, Nagambie: W. Obrien, W. Dalton, R. Old, C. Kelly, R. Coll, L. Cornfoot, Dookie United: C. Exton, H. Walsh, L. Ludeman, O. McNiece, B. Wilson, L. Sommers.

Lancaster 3.2, 4.5, 5.8, 8.9 (57)

Girgarre 2.1, 4.3, 4.5, 5.6 (36)

GOALS, Lancaster: R. Williams 2, J. Fleming 1, N. Mackison 1, S. George 1, Girgarre: M. Turpin 1, M. Camin 1, N. Pena 1, T. Lloyd (oa) 1.