Emily Smith takes a mark out in front for St Albans at Kings Park Reserve. 80242 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By KATIE LAMBESKI
VICTORIA University St Albans Spurs opened the Victorian Women’s Football League season in style with an 8.8 (56) to 4.5 (29) win against Darebin in a grand final re-match on Saturday.
The Spurs made the most of their forward entries to post a three-goal lead at the first break, but the Falcons upped their intensity in the second quarter, with Daisy Pearce and Aasta O’Connor leading the way.
St Albans held on to a 10-point lead at half-time.
The Spurs coaches demanded a more disciplined, tougher effort from their chargers in the second half and they got it.
A tough St Albans backline held the Falcons to one goal, and added two of their own to take a three-goal lead, which would prove decisive.
Both sides dug in to play a defensive game in the warm, dry conditions and it was the Spurs’ discipline and defensive edge that got them over the line in the last quarter.
It was an absorbing last quarter, as both sides look for early goals.
St Albans had most of the chances in the last but left some begging, scoring 2.6 to 1.3.
In the reserves clash, reigning premiers Darebin would saw off St Albans with a 33-point win.
It was an even first half, as both looked for an advantage but couldn’t find one. Darebin had an inaccurate first half, but led 2.8 (20) to 1.2 (8) at the main break.
The Falcons burst out of the blocks for a four-goal start to the third quarter and the Spurs couldn’t overcome the deficit, although they grabbed a goal in the last minutes of the third. The Falcons had a 30-point lead to the last break.
The Spurs gave themselves a chance early in the last quarter with three early goals in a great burst of play, but the Falcons snuffed out the challenge with two goals of their own.
