Glen Orden’s Marc Yates takes a strong grab in front of Brenton Turner. 83158_07 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
SATURDAY’S game against West Footscray was one of those games that Glen Orden coach Nick Diker was relieved to win.
Not because it was a close one or an ugly win. In fact, it was one of the Hawks’ most complete performances yet and the margin was 50 points. But it’s because West Footscray loomed as a danger side and Glen Orden needed the win to stay in touch with the top three.
“We knew they were going to be a tough battle, because they’ve run a lot of the good teams right down to the wire, in particular Wyndham Vale,” Diker said.
“It’s so tough at this time of the year because you’re trying not to look ahead … but you’ve just got to block it out and try and beat the challenges ahead of you first and to our credit we played really well.
“It was close to one of our first four quarter performances for the year. The score probably doesn’t show that, but if you see the state of the ground, it had inch-deep water and mud … it was a tough slog. But all our key indicators were really high so it was really pleasing as a coach.”
Glen Orden started solidly with three unanswered goals in the first quarter, and held firm to win 11.11 (77) to 3.9 (27) and jump into fourth spot on the Western Region Football League Division 2 ladder.
The most pleasing thing about that scoreline, according to Diker, is the three goals conceded. The Roosters have a potent attack with Lindon Harris the league’s leading goalkicker (42 goals). Full back Ryan Walker kept him goal-less.
“As a coach you always doubt yourself as to whether the players have got your back or not, and probably for one of the first times this year I felt really at ease after the game. The boys have really taken in what we tried to do from the start of the year.”
Diker said the side was about four weeks away from being full strength, if no other players are injured in that time.
The run home is challenging. This Saturday the Hawks meet Coburg Districts, who they are in front of by a mere .02 per cent, and Albanvale await them after that.
“They’ll be gunning for us because we did beat them in Round 1 and Round 2,” Diker said.
