Tara Murray
The game plan was at times thrown out for Altona on Saturday in its Western Region Football League division 1 match against Caroline Springs.
In a vital clash in the battle for top four spots, the weather again proved to be a key element in the result.
A heavy wind made footy tricky and turned the game into a low scoring affair. The Vikings kicked two goals in the final quarter to come away with a 5.9 (39)-5.7 (37) win.
Vikings coach Corey McCall said it was a very different match from what they had predicted coming in.
“It was an important win,” he said. “In the end we kicked 2-0 in the last quarter to get over the line.
“It was tough conditions and the wind felt like it was going 49 kilometres an hour to one side of the ground.
“There were set shots coming back towards players. It was one of the windiest matches I’ve coached.”
McCall said the difference in the end was the team that took their chances.
He said they were wasteful early, before finishing with two goals in the final quarter.
The Lakers had two shots late in the final quarter to take the lead, but weren’t able to convert.
“They had chances with two minutes to go,” McCall said. “We were a bit lucky in the end but you just take the four points.”
Joel Menadue kicked three goals for the Vikings, while Josh Bench kicked two.
It was a couple of young defenders in Colby Redpath and Jye Formosa that impressed McCall.
“They’re playing some key roles and been fantastic and playing on key position players,” he said.
The win and Point Cook’s loss has the Vikings back up into second spot on the ladder.
But the task doesn’t get any easier with a match up against an undefeated Werribee Districts side.
McCall said the Tigers were clearly the best team in the competition.
“They have a lot of cohesion and the same squad as last year,” he said.
“Point Cook, Caroline Springs, ourselves and Spotswood have had a lot of change. We want to get the same cohesion and synergy.
“We would love to have the double chance, but we still have to qualify for finals.”
McCall said injuries and players overseas had hurt getting that cohesion, but in the long term they would benefit from it with the younger guys getting some more games under their belts.
Meanwhile, Spotswood’s finals hopes suffered a setback with a shock loss to the Yarraville Seddon Eagles.
There were just 13 points in it at the last break, before the Eagles kicked six goals to one in the final term to seal a 15.9 (99)-8.5 (53).
Akol Deng was the Eagles best.
In division 2, North Footscray beat Braybrook, 10.15 (75)-6.5 (41), while Newport lost to Sunshine.
In division 2, Laverton beat Tarneit and West Footscray lost to the Suns.
