By LIAM TWOMEY
AN INABILITY to hit the scoreboard has cost Williamstown victory against Box Hill in the club’s VFL qualifying final.
Nothing could separate the two teams for the majority of the match with both the Seagulls and the Hawks enjoying time in front on the scoreboard.
After trailing by three points heading into the final quarter, Williamstown struggled to make the most of a number of chances when going forward.
The Seagulls had the better of general play but couldn’t find a way to get the ball between the big sticks.
It wasn’t until the 17-minute mark of the final term when Box Hill was able to break the scoring deadlock with a major.
That opened the floodgates, with the Hawks going on to kick another four goals in the final 10 minutes to seal the 13.8 (86) to 7.14 (56) win.
“It is a game of being able to kick goals,” Williamstown coach Peter German said.
“We had our plans that we wanted to try and utilise. Box Hill’s pressure was good today. I thought that was probably one of the key elements to winning the game.
“They were able to make us not use the ball well going forward. It was probably a combination of our ball use going inside 50 and sometimes just our forwards not being able to mark the ball.
“In what was a hard-fought contest throughout, Ben Jolley showed why he is one of the Seagulls’ best and thrived under pressure.”
He was joined in the best players by Michael Talia, Cameron Wood and Jack Charleston.
The result means Williamstown will be forced to go the hard way if it is to claim this year’s VFL premiership.
Saturday’s loss throws the Seagulls into a do-or-die final against Port Melbourne this week.
The two sides met twice during the home-and-away season with Port Melbourne victorious on both occasions.
“We will sit down and we will watch them (Port Melbourne) and we will try and play the game how we want to play it,” German said.
“That is the same against any team. I said to the players, we are going to have to go the hard way now. That is how it is. I’m excited to be able to play in a final again against a quality side like Port and the challenges that brings.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure who is available or who is going to play. The majority of the players that played today have got to be able to quickly get themselves up. It is going to be a tough game. We will go to Port Melbourne and play at that ground. I just think it is really important that we move on quickly.”
