A disappointing first half from Lakes Entrance saw it go down to unbeaten ladder leader, Lucknow in round 10 of the East Gippsland Football Netball League at the Lakeside Oval last Saturday.
It was a big day for the Seagulls hosting the heroes of their 1994/1995 senior premiership success, but the modern day players didn’t rise to any great heights in the first half.
The Magpies kicked 11 goals in a clinical first half performance, with the hosts only managing a solitary goal in the second term.
Joel McNamara and Linc Mckenna (three goals) led the way for the Magpies, while their small forwards, Ryan Halford, Brenden Flinn and Nick Mooney always looked dangerous and were proving difficult for the Seagulls to match up on.
The super fit McKenna, able to present at every contest, makes him a thorn in the side of every team in the competition in back half of the season.
Lucknow looked sharp and was ready to play while the Seagulls weren’t ready for the initial onslaught.
A reset at half time saw Lakes Entrance perform much better in the second half, taking the match right up to the current competition measuring stick, with Jordan Cullen going onto McNamara and stopping his drive from his quarter back role.
This effort impressed the golden oldies and their entourage.
The Seagulls kicked four unanswered goals in the third term as they played the game more on their term, pleasing coach, Darren Martin with their workmanlike play, putting the head over the football and doping the basics right.
“In football you have to be workmanlike to achieve anything, when we switched on and put in the consistent effort in the second half, you can see the difference in what we are capable of achieving,” Martin said.
Sam Nickless lead the resurgence, controlling the ruck and marking everything across half back, combining well with Mitch Banner on numerous occasions.
The Magpies bounced back in the final term, kicking three goals to one, winning by 51 points.
As impressive as they were, coach Shaun Mooney, (two) wouldn’t have been totally pleased with the effort, given the half time margin was 63 points at half time.
Martin taking some consolation from winning the second half, but conscious that points aren’t awarded for that.
Sabastian Etheridge was again outstanding for the Seagulls, but sadly he will be departing this week to live in Queensland.
William Addison and Oscar Brazzale both stood up to plenty of pressure in the back half, Brazzale likely to be a permit fixture down there in the coming weeks replacing Etheridge.
Bryce Collings and young Caleb O’Donnell both impressed in their return to the side, O’Donnell showing why he has for so long been regarded as senior player by the
Seagull faithful.
Cullen did a great job containing McNamara in the second half, though Lakes Entrance had no answer all day for McKenna, who was the dominant player on the ground.
He was joined in the best by Andrew Nelson, Rhys Perkins, Matt Corbett, McNamara
and Halford.
Lakes Entrance will look to bank another win this week when they welcome the struggling Paynesville to the Lakeside Oval.
