It was disappointment for the Lakes Entrance thirds in the first week of the East Gippsland Football Netball League finals, going down to minor premier Lindenow by 14 points at Bairnsdale City Oval last Saturday.
Thankfully courtesy of the finishing the home and away season second on the ladder, the Seagulls are afforded the opportunity to use the double chance, which will see them do battle with arch rival Orbost Snowy Rovers at the Lindenow Recreation Reserve in a cut-throat preliminary final this Saturday.
Lakes Entrance went into the match against Lindenow confident of success, hoping the experience gained at senior level this season by Max Stevens, George Ioakim, Kurt Grabham and Caleb O’Donnell might take the young Seagulls to another level when the finals pressure and intensity came into the match.
The Seagulls won the toss and kicked with the breeze and were up and about early with Max Stevens kicking a goal off the ground within 90 seconds after Ioakim got the ball in deep.
Grabham did what was expected of him, showing class
to avoid the tacklers, before snapping truly from 45 metres as the Seagulls raced to a 13-point advantage.
The Cats haven’t been the dominant side in the competition all season for no reason and they eventually found their mojo as Jarrel Hood goaled and after another in quick succession the match was back to just a point.
As James Daly limped off after impressing early with a lower leg injury, Sloan Wisby launched a bomb from 55 metres which sailed through, getting both the Seagulls players and spectators excited.
Lakes’ had several chances late in the term to extend its lead, Ioakim and Charlie Graham unable to convert, the latter after some clever play from Grabham.
The Seagulls’ eight-point leaders at the first break.
The Cats played the best football of the match in the second term, kicking four unanswered majors with the breeze as the Seagulls backline defended grimly, led by the hard-running and courageous Charlie Goold, who continually put his body on the line.
Ioakim continued to get plenty of the ball, but he was often forced to retreat and kick around corners, Lindenow nullifying his normal run and carry.
The Seagulls weren’t without chances, working the ball forward numerous times, only for it to hold up in the breeze and be cut off by the Cats.
If they were going to win the match the Seagulls were going to need to be in front at three quarter time as the breeze continued to strengthen.
An early goal to Beau Buck-McKimmie narrowed the margin to just nine points, as Goold continued to defend grimly.
Lakes Entrance managed to keep the Cats scoreless for the term and had several opportunities to score themselves, but could only offer up the one major as it struggled to hit up a target going forward.
Trailing by nine points at three quarter time it was always going to be tough going against the gale for the Seagulls, the youngsters giving it their all in a term that was predominately played between the arcs.
A goal to the Cats’ Edward Blandford with the end in sight sealed the fate of the gallant young Seagulls, who will take plenty from their performance and live to fight another day.
Goold was outstanding for the Lakes Entrance, never giving up and asserting plenty of pressure across half back, he was well supported by Ioakim, Baxter Bennett, Harper Davis, Max Stevens and O’Donnell.
