Demons Down Dogs

Captured by Ash Carey, Four Quarter Media

Willlunga oval was affected by a strong cross breeze which, at times, resulted in messy, close quarter football. The Mt Compass players were fired up to play a tough brand of football - a win could ease them into the top 5. Despite their tenacity the more skillful Willunga team came out winners.

The Demons defender Schmidt kicked the opening goal of the match at the 7-minute mark of the first quarter. He seemed keen to pass the ball off but his run and carry brought him within range and he dobbed a long goal. Nash got it immediately back for the Dogs after a downfield penalty was awarded to him in the goal square. Shirvington and Hams combined to deliver the ball to Draper who went back from 45-metres and boomed home a long goal despite the blustery conditions. Endersby and Daniell defended well for Mt Compass and restricted Willunga to a 5-point lead at quarter time.

Schulz bullocked his way clear from the centre and hit up Pinyon who kicked a major less than a minute into the second quarter. Willunga’s smalls, Jake Renney, Carnevale and Miegel popped up everywhere in the second quarter and used the ball effectively to allow Draper to mark and kick his second. Nash, Poole and Endersby were busy for the visitors. A skillful ruck to rover tap by Bass to Starke enabled Hams to mark in space, go back and kick a long goal on his non-preferred side. Endersby got it back two minutes later before Hams kicked his second for the quarter with a kick equally as difficult as his first. Lee got another for Willunga after hard running from the wing to the goal square. Both defences tightened and goals were hard to come by. Late in the quarter when Sam Renney burst from the centre square, was fouled after disposal and taken to the goal square, Willunga were able to open up a 4-goal lead going in to half time.

The third quarter opened with a flurry of goals in the first 5-minutes to the Bulldogs’ Boots then Willunga’s Draper and Seb Hoek. The following 20 minutes was mostly a dull affair. Willunga kept the Bulldogs trapped in the north-west pocket where, because of the cross wind, it was difficult to score. Just when it seemed no one could score another goal for the quarter, Compass moved their attack to the top side where they were able to create space for their forwards. Pinyon, who had been well held by McDonald, took two strong pack marks late in the quarter and goaled after fast ball movement created by Simons, Turner and Hunter. When Compass kicked their third goal in 5-minutes and reduced the three-quarter time deficit to 13 points, the game was in the balance.

The last quarter was another hard slog. Hunter presented himself front-and-centre to kick a 6-pointer for the visitors and keep their hopes alive. Bass got it back for the Demons but it was the brilliant goal kicking of Draper that enabled Willunga to establish a match-winning lead. He snapped two with his left foot: both swirled high in the fluky breeze before drifting through. It was the hard work of Miegel, Shirvington and Starke that got the ball into position for Draper to show his talents. Hard running by Hunter, Peters and Daniell almost created a Compass goal but Scanlon drifted back and marked on the goal line. The last ten minutes of the game was not pretty football but by the final siren Willunga had run out victors by 21 points.