By ADEM SARICAOGLU
HILLSIDE coach Steve Kolyniuk says his side’s 85-point win over Jacana on Saturday was riddled with “skill errors”, “fumbling” and injuries at Hillside Reserve.
Despite the Sharks winning every quarter with relative ease against the Essendon District Football League’s Division Two battlers, Kolyniuk was not quite impressed with his charges afterward.
“I thought we were just OK, that’s all,” Kolyniuk said.
“We had a pretty ordinary day, I thought, but credit to Jacana.
“They stuck at it and probably the result should have been a little bit closer. We got some cheap goals which probably flattered us a bit.”
The Sharks were nonetheless hungry to bounce back on Saturday after suffering their first loss of the year seven days earlier to Division Two frontrunner, Moonee Valley.
On a day in which both teams would end up struggling in front of goal, Hillside claimed first blood in the opening term and led by just eight points at quarter time, despite having nine scoring shots.
By half time that lead had stretched out to 42 courtesy of five unanswered goals that killed off any chance of a Jacana revival in the second half.
Six more goals were added to Hillside’s tally after the main break but Jacana fought hard to ensure a more even quarter, managing to kick three goals of their own.
However the Sharks then took advantage of the scoring end once more in the final term, nailing six more goals to Jacana’s two to walk away with what ultimately proved an inevitable percentage-booster.
Aware Jacana has improved upon results from their previous few seasons, Kolyniuk knew better than to under-estimate the staying power of the visitors.
As for his players, however, he suggested the same couldn’t be said.
“Mentally, they just expected an easy game, I think,” Kolyniuk said. “And to Jacana’s credit, they came to play.”
The Sharks have struggled to field a full-strength line-up for most of the season to date and were dealt further blows on Saturday.
Already missing vice-captain Troy Stone (broken thumb) and goal sneak Fabio Di Lizia (shoulder), among others, Harry Charters was one of the latest Sharks to succumb to injury during Saturday’s win.
With Stone already expected to miss eight weeks, Kolyniuk said Charters could be out for “six to eight weeks”.
Having now faced every club in Division Two for an impressive 6-1 win-loss record, Hillside will now gear up for its second clash against Coburg Districts at home this Saturday before taking a road trip to East Sunbury.
Though they’ll be expected to win both games comfortably, the Sharks will then have to front up against East Keilor, Keilor Park and an improved Roxburgh Park outfit in the following three weeks before hosting Moonee Valley on 13 July.
