Bairnsdale’s under 18 footballers were the lone side to emerge victorious from a demanding road trip deep into South Gippsland to tackle Leongatha during round 11 of the Gippsland League last Saturday.
The thrilling victory carries massive significance for the young Redlegs, leapfrogging the gallant Parrots to propel Bairnsdale back into the league’s top five.
Bairnsdale made all the early running in the low-scoring encounter, booting two unanswered goals in the opening term to establish a 12-point cushion at the first break.
The Parrots began to discover their mojo in the second stanza, wrestling back momentum to trim the margin to just six points at half time and set up a classic second half finale.
The Redlegs withstood a mountain of pressure in the third term, crucially scoring the only major of the quarter to stretch their advantage to a handy 10 points.
When Bairnsdale kicked the opening goal of the final period, it appeared they had found the sealer in such a tight contest.
However, the home side refused to go quietly. Against the general flow of the match, Leongatha clicked into gear, slamming home three unanswered goals to snatch the lead late in the day.
To their immense credit, the Redlegs dug deep and rallied. They executed two disciplined, team-oriented goals in the dying stages of the match to regain the ascendancy, ultimately securing the four points with a hard-fought six-point victory in an outstanding display of tough, contested junior football.
Kane Callaway and Jack Cullinan led the scoring with two goals each for the Redlegs. Skipper Douglas Ashby, Albie Clarke, Harley Young, Saxon Buckley, Ryan Stevens and Harry McGuinn spearheaded the confidence-boosting result.
Earlier in the day, the under 16 fixture produced another fierce arm-wrestle. The second-placed Parrots ultimately prevailed over the fourth-placed visitors by 20 points, with the home side finding answers during the critical moments of the contest.
Leongatha jumped out of the blocks with the first three goals of the game, establishing an early buffer that Bairnsdale was never quite able to reel in. The defeat sees the Redlegs slide to fifth position on the ladder.
Bailey Lieuwen, Luca Desio, Ayden Martin, Dante Desio, Rory Hansen and Flynn Ashwood all worked tirelessly for possessions on a tough road trip.
It was another difficult day at the office for Bairnsdale’s reserves, who suffered a heavy 144-point defeat at the hands of the undefeated ladder-leaders.
With Leongatha boasting exceptional senior depth, the talent overflow into their seconds was evident.
The clinical Parrots booted 18 unanswered majors across the first three quarters before former club captain James Gibbs finally put the Redlegs on the scoreboard in the final term.
Oliver Emmett, Seth Pollard, Nathan Tough, Bryan Froud, Mitchell Neal and Gibbs all battled hard for the visitors against a slick, high-calibre home unit.
The Gippsland League will enjoy a competition-wide bye this weekend, giving Bairnsdale a welcome chance to refresh before resetting for a home fixture against Morwell at the Bairnsdale City Oval on July 11.
