A see-sawing affair at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve on Saturday ended with both opponents on the same score.
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The Cats hosted Rochester in Goulburn Valley League split-round action, with both outfits understanding the importance of the clash in the overall scheme of the season.
But despite each having periods of dominance and control over the clash, when the final kick of the match sailed through for a Rochester behind the teams were forced to settle for two points apiece.
Teenager Nathan Kay was charged with the task of steering the Tigers to victory with his set-shot after the siren — and his kick from the 50m arc nearly did the trick.
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“We let them score a couple of easy goals late in the second quarter which got them back in the game a bit and then the rain sort of came early in that third quarter and we just wanted to play our handball game still,” Rochester coach Steven Stroobants said.
“We didn't really adapt to the conditions and they played that better than us with contested ball and that sort of stuff.
“In the end we're probably lucky to take out the two points to be honest, I thought we probably deserved to lose it in the end.
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“We just weren't playing very good footy in that second half. But credit to the boys we kept coming and we had a shot after the siren to win the game, but it only ended up being a point, so we'll take the draw.
“Nath Kay, our (Bendigo) Pioneer who came back this week (had the shot).
“It was a bit of pressure on the young man, he's only an 18-year-old, but he made a good fist of it and only sort of missed by a metre or so.
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“But we'll take two points after the second half we played. We're sitting in the six which is where we wanted to be at the bye.”
Mooroopna coach John Lamont was in agreeance that the match felt like one his troops should have been able to secure after storming home with the inclement weather behind them.
“I'm pleased that our effort was better than a week ago, we got done by a point last week and I thought Rochester had our measure early, but then I was really pleased with our second half and our effort,” Lamont said.
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“We lost a couple of soldiers again before half-time, so we were down to two (on the bench), but the boys dug deep and showed some good character again.
“To be honest, even though Rochester were on top early and the better team, we fought back hard and got our noses in front and probably deserved to win in the end I reckon.
“We controlled the game a bit. We had a couple of opportunities and didn't take them.”
The Tigers led by 13 points at the first break and 19 at the main change, but their advantage was reduced to nine points at three-quarter time.
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As the Cats continued to lift the game began to slip away from the visitors, but in the end neither could grasp the chance to put a four-point gap between themselves and seventh spot on the table.
Stroobants booted three goals for the Tigers in the 7.9 (51) apiece draw, with Chris Jansen, Adam McPhee, Logan Austin and Jaycob Dingwall working hard across the clash.
Angus Martin (collarbone) and Isaiah Miller (soreness) pulled up worse for wear during the match, but will rest up with the bye next week.
“We didn't have anyone really stand out, just contributors across the ground. We'll go into the bye and refresh and take on Echuca which will be a big one,” Stroobants said.
“(Jansen) is a big in for us, obviously anyone who is a quality state league footballer getting back to the GV is a huge in and hopefully we can get him for a few more games.
“But I'm sure Port Melbourne want him back in their side.”
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Chris Nield slotted four majors for the Cats as Lachie Devine, Alex Tattersall, Kai Madgwick, Jed Woods and Ben Hicks also impressed.
Michael Coad and Ky Johnston were the two Cats who went down early with leg injuries.
“They're pretty rare draws, a few of the boys that's their first draw, but there's a lot of positives from the game that we'll take out of it I think,” Lamont said.
“We had a lot of guys in particular roles, Tim Karolidis did a job for us, Rory Huggard and Domenic Gugliotti down back and Kai Madgwick through the middle.
“To be in a position where we could have won is a real positive and we get out of it with a draw. There's some pleasing elements, but it is a bit of an odd feeling.
“The competition is really even and we're glad that we're competitive.
“I probably assess it as a top four and a bottom eight, you want to be in the top two of the bottom eight and that will get you into the top six.
“That's how I look at it, those top four teams (are ahead of the rest) and then those other eight anyone can potentially beat anyone else on any one given day. Might be an injury or two on the day that swings it either way.
“We've just got to get the head down and backside up and keep at it.”
While a senior GVL draw has not been a rare occurrence in recent years — with Saturday's result the 14th time points have been shared in the past 10 seasons — it certainly is for the Cats.
Rochester's last draw was on September 1, 2012 against Kyabram.
But for the Cats you have to go all the way back to April 20, 1996.
Coincidentally, Mooroopna hit the front late in that game before an opposition behind after the siren secured the draw.
The opponent? Rochester, of course.
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