Bailey Boyack tries to burst past Ryan Hill in Rochester’s narrow win over Euroa. The Tigers controlled the first half, but the tables were turned in the second and Rochy was left clinging to its lead. Photo: Bruce Povey
It took the hard road, but Rochester came away with the win against Euroa in round 14 of Goulburn Valley League football.
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Visiting Euroa’s Memorial Oval, the clash between the Pies and the Tigers was a tale of two halves, but Rochy was able to do enough after half-time to hang on for the win.
There wasn’t much action at either end in the first period, Rochester kicking the only major, while Euroa hit everywhere but between the sticks in an 0.6 term.
Leading 9-6, the Tigers burst clear in the second, suddenly finding form and slotting 4.5, while the Magpies continued to flounder, finishing a goalless half with another two behinds.
The game started to turn after the break and Euroa, after kicking its first goal early in the period, came good late to slot two more and win the term three goals to two.
The Tigers were still more than 20 points ahead at the last break, but that lead quickly came under threat as Euroa found the first two majors of the final quarter.
A Wil Hamilton goal midway through the period was all the Tigers could muster, but it was enough for Ash Watson’s men to limp to the finish line by three points, 8.10 (58) to 7.13 (55).
“It was pretty inaccurate from both sides,” Watson said.
“We’re pretty happy with the way we played in the first half at stages, but then obviously (we) let them back into the game.”
Hamilton, Hamish Heine, James McPhee and Mitchell Trewhella shared the eight goals evenly in a balanced performance for the Tigers, while Jayden Gleeson kicked two as the only Magpie to notch multiple goals.
Mitch Trewhella was one of four Tigers with two majors.
Photo by
BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022
The closeness of the result has cost the Tigers second spot for now.
A 0.55 percentage advantage over Echuca was wiped out as the Murray Bombers logged a 47-point win, Echuca now less than seven per cent clear, the two sides locked at 12-2.
The Tigers have a pair of key encounters coming up, first away to a rampaging Mansfield that has won seven straight and then against fellow finals contenders Shepparton Swans the following week.
“We expect (Mansfield) to come out super hard,” Watson said.
“Whoever wins this game will be in a better position to finish in the top three. It’s another road trip and playing them away is always a challenge — but we’ll go there with a big focus on pressure and putting some scoreboard heat on them.”
Should they get through that stretch, the Tigers close the year against two of the bottom three, Benalla and Tatura.
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