Goulburn Valley Suns found that out the hard way on Saturday, served their first loss in the Victorian Premier League Two in more than a month by a gristly, no-nonsense Eltham Redbacks outfit.
Taking to the artificial surface of Eltham North Reserve, the booming, direct style deployed by the hosts, whose arsenal features an absurd 60m long throw, came up trumps as the Redbacks sailed to a 3-0 win that landed them top spot in the league.
Eltham’s first came less than 15 minutes into the contest.
Operating on the right-hand side, a clever ball on the half volley was stabbed into the path of Nicky Edwards, who craned his neck and headed home from close range.
The Suns were not without trying in their plight for an equaliser throughout the first half, but the Redbacks refused to budge and assumed the ascendancy heading into the sheds.
As the game drew on and the deficit remained, Eltham encroached its press and forced the Suns to go searching for a goal in desperation.
The trap worked a treat.
Eltham’s badgering produced a penalty in the 76th minute that Billy Romas converted, and five minutes later, Lewis Collins flicked the ball around his man and finished coolly for his side’s third.
Suns coach Craig Carley admitted the better team won on the day and, though the Redbacks’ tactics may not be so easy on the eye, he couldn’t deny their effectiveness.
“It’s not my cup of tea, the style that they play, they get the ball early really quickly from the goalkeeper into the final third,” he said.
“Anything in our half was obviously the long throw, so they just play on that a lot and a lot of disrupting the game, but full credit to them, it’s worked for them all season and that’s why they’re top of the league.
“They work very hard, they’re a good side in terms of the non-negotiables ... I thought they out battled us, they outworked us and were really industrious once they got into the final third.
“We just didn’t have the answers on the day, unfortunately.”
There was a deviation from the Suns’ recent trend on Saturday night.
Yes, it was the Orangemen’s first loss in a month — but more curiously, their goalless showing reflected Eltham’s defensive fortitude, given the Suns had scored 13 times in the past four games.
Carley’s men will have the chance to rectify the defeat at home on Saturday, but the task doesn’t get any easier when welcoming second-ranked North Geelong Warriors to McEwen Reserve.
“North Geelong, I really rate them as a side,” Carley said.
“We had our missed chances against them in round four when we were 2-0 up at half-time and had opportunities to extend that — we missed a penalty and ended up losing 3-2.
“I make a big deal to the players about ensuring we don’t lose both fixtures to any particular team, so this is one that we certainly owe.”
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