Tussle … Maribyrnong Park’s Aisake O’hAilpin taking a contested mark on Saturday. 66241 Picture: Sarah Matray
By Liam Twomey
MARIBYRNONG Park has relinquished top spot on the Essendon and District Football League ladder after suffering a shock one-goal loss to Keilor on Saturday.
After a slow first quarter the match heated up when Keilor forward Marty Pask was injured in a behind-the-play incident involving Maribyrnong Park’s Matthew Towner. Pask did not return to the field and Towner was red carded.
Maribynong Park coach Craig Clinnick was confused at the circumstances that saw his team one player short for the second quarter.
“From my viewpoint there were two parties involved and the siren hadn’t sounded,” Clinnick said.
“If the guy’s red carded, he’s red carded in the quarter the incident happens in.
“Yet he has been advised after the break that he is red carded in the second quarter, I don’t quite understand that.
“I’m still at a loss as to how that can happen but it hurt.
“They got away in the second quarter and 18 on 17 will do that to you.”
Keilor coach Mick McGuane said it was a substantial loss to his team.
“Pask has been very important for us. We didn’t have the luxury of having him in that mix of forward rotations,” McGuane said.
After the incident Maribyrnong could not compete with its opposition in the second quarter and Keilor was able to capitalise on its advantage. Keilor kicked the last four goals of the half to set up a 28-point lead.
A spirited Maribyrnong came out after half time and, with the match back on a level playing field, began to chip away at the deficit.
Led by Joe Laverde in the midfield and Luke Livingstone, who kicked two fantastic goals up forward, Maribyrnong closed the margin to a solitary point early in the final quarter and looked destined to run over the top of the home team.
Keilor fought back and managed to kick two quick goals against the momentum through forwards John Lambropoulos and Jarod Garth, which extended the lead back to 13 points.
This proved to be too much for Maribyrnong to overcome and Keilor was able to hold on for a six-point win.
Clinnick was impressed with the fight his team showed in the second half of the match.
“The fight-back was outstanding,” he said.
“We changed a few things up. We got the ball in the hands of our good players. Chris Stewart started to dominate in the ruck.
“Our forward structure was a lot more solid.
“Keilor wanted to continue to put numbers behind the ball and that’s why you get a 10-11 goal game.
“We probably tried to get more one on ones than two on ones and three on ones.
“We got back in the game because we won contested footy and we used it better than we had in the first half.”
Maribyrnong Park now turns its attention to a second away game in a row when it takes on Oak Park on Saturday.
