Spotswood has found Altona to be an unhappy hunting ground in recent seasons of Western Region Football League’s division 1.
The trend seemed as though it might continue when a goalless Woodsmen stared a four-goal deficit in the face at quarter-time of Saturday’s local derby.
But the Woodsmen managed to produce one of their best quarters of the year in the third term to break the resolve of the young Vikings and set up a convincing 66-point win.
PICTURE GALLERY | Spotswood v Altona
“We haven’t won there for something like four years, so it was a good win,” Spotswood assistant coach Grant Smith said.
With the game in the balance at half-time, and kicking into a five-goal breeze in the third, the Woodsmen turned the game on its head with a stunning eight-goals-to-three quarter to leave the Vikings in their tracks.
It started in the middle with ruckman James Beha offering first use of the ball to crumbers Tom Langlands and David Iaccarino.
The mosquito fleet then served the ball up on a platter to key forwards Jason Cloke and Christian Elliott, who each finished with five goals.
Smith said the brand of football his side played in the second half was akin to its showing against Port Melbourne Colts a week earlier, which was easily its best win of the season.
“We played really well against Port Colts; it was probably our best game of the year and we really clicked,” Smith said.
“[Against Altona on a] windy day, pretty ordinary conditions, it just took a while to get going, but that third quarter was probably as good as we’ve played. Out of the middle, we were exceptional.”
Beha has taken time to find his feet with the Woodsmen since crossing from Lakes Entrance.
The big man appears set to play a massive role in the second half of the season for a club that is desperate to put consecutive one-point grand final losses behind it.
If Beha can hold down the No.1 ruck position, it will free up Murray Boyd to play in a more comfortable key position role.
“He [Beha] probably had 20 marks for the game and was very aggressive and competitive so hopefully it’s a springboard to set us up [in the second half of the season] because we really haven’t had a solid uckman,” Smith said.
“We’ve had to play Murray Boyd in the ruck, which takes away from our forward line set-up. With him being competitive and strong in the ruck, it gives us the chance to have an attack with Boyd, Cloke, Elliott and a few other smalls as well.”
The Woodsmen have consolidated third spot behind ladder leader Deer Park and Werribee Districts.
They have opened up a game and percentage break over fourth-placed St Albans, which they face in a blockbuster at McLean Reserve on Saturday.
