Robbo show shatters Magpies
by Matt Nicholls
ONE player should not be able to have so much influence on a game of football.
One player should not be able to single handedly revive a side’s winning chances.
One player did last Saturday . . . Matt Robertson.
The Kilmore star produced one of the best individual games seen at J.J. Clancy Reserve, giving the Blues an eight point win over arch rivals Wallan in the first local showdown since 2001.
Some long-time Blues’ supporters likened Robertson’s game to the same calibre of the stars in Kilmore’s 1971 premiership side, which contained the likes of Bernie Hede, Terry Mills, Geoff Briggs, Graeme Harper and Peter Ryan – all top quality footballers.
Whilst Robertson was brilliant and clearly the best last Saturday, he had plenty of teammates who gave their support.
Skipper Adam Goudge played his best game for the club this year; Rhyan Straney perhaps played his best game for Kilmore ever, whilst the likes of Jason King, Alan Carroll, Ben Pronk, Dave Saunders and Jon Sutherland were all brilliant.
In front of the biggest home and away crowd I’ve ever seen in the Riddell District Football League, both sides could have walked away with the points.
It was game full of drama. Obviously the early focus was on Dave Cornish, but it soon switched to the football.
Kilmore kicked the first goal through Daniel Kenyon, but it was Wallan’s quarter. Through Shannon Galea (two goals), Hayden Langborne and Cornish, the Magpies held a nine point lead at the first break.
They continued their good form to hold a 14-point buffer at half time, but perhaps should have led by more, as the players missed several easy chances on goal.
The game had yet to really reach the high expectations, but then again the big crowd had yet to see the “Robbo show”.
A superb third quarter saw the Blues turn a 14-point deficit into a four point lead, and although the home side had the momentum, Wallan still appeared to be a good chance.
Adding to the drama, neither side had much of an interchange bench to work with. In the final term the Blues had no fit players on the bench, with Linton Kemp, Travis Hede, Chris Temperley and Cody Franks all injured, whilst Wallan were down to two fit men after Dave Fowler and Dave Henderson succumbed to hamstring injuries.
SENSATIONAL!
With the game in the balance, Robertson proved why he is one of the premier players of the RDFL.
In the final term he took eight contested marks, won two centre clearances, had over a dozen possessions, and kicked the winning goal.
Things were looking bleak for the Blues too. The Pies kicked the first two goals of the quarter to establish a five-point lead as Kilmore butchered several chances to score goals.
The game was turned on its head when Blake Whiteway fluffed a kick on the half forward line, which allowed Robertson to take a telling mark, kick long and direct to Kenyon, who was able to hit Straney on a lead about 40 metres from goal.
On a reasonably uncomfortable angle, and with the opportunity to give the Blues a one-point lead, there is no doubting there was a huge amount of pressure to kick the goal.
Known as a prodigious kick, the distance was never going to trouble Straney, but whether he could stand up when it mattered was the question on everyone’s lips.
But true to his earlier form, he walked in calmly, kicked through the ball and to be truthful, it never looked like missing. Straney had kicked his fourth and the Blues had the lead.
As they had done all day the Magpies continued to fight, despite conceding another behind, and actually looked a genuine threat to take the lead.
But they couldn’t get past Robertson.
After starting in the middle, the utility would float into defence and cut off the Wallan delivery. He took at least half-a-dozen crucial marks in the final quarter to keep Kilmore in the game.
With just a minute to go, Wallan looked to have found a way forward and had the crowd on the edge of their seat, but was once again thwarted by the Blues’ defence.
This time Robertson had found himself loose in the middle of the ground, and with one long kick had the ball in his hands.
Despite the best efforts of the Magpies’ half forwards, Robertson shrugged off his rivals, waltzed inside the forward line and slotted the sealer from 40 metres.
Game over.
SENIORS
Kilmore 3.1, 5.1, 8.3, 10.7 (67) d
Wallan 4.4, 6.9, 6.11, 8.11 (59).
Goals (K): R. Straney 4; M. Robertson, A. Moedt 2; D. Kenyon, B. Pronk.
Best: Robertson, J. King, A. Carroll, Straney, S. Finnigan, A. Hibbert.
Goals (W): D. Cornish, B. Hanson, S. Galea 2; S. Hamilton, H. Langborne.
Best: B. Henderson, B. Whiteway, Langborne, K. Mazurek, T. Tomsky, Galea.