WILLIAMSTOWN CYMS prevailed in a game of two halves over St John’s by a too-close-for-comfort 14 points in the Victorian Amateur Football Association division 1 at Fearon Reserve on Saturday.
CYs had to beat the bottom-of-the-ladder Saints to keep their survival hopes alive, but the outlook was grim when they stared a 43-point deficit in the face at the end of an insipid first half.
“We were in a bit of trouble at half-time,” CYs coach Ian Rickman said.
“A few stern words were told and we came out a different side after the break.”
CYs were desperately off-colour in the opening half. They suffered a massive letdown after a huge build-up to a game that would have major consequences if they failed to get up.
Rickman was not accepting of what his side served up attitude-wise in the first half and he let them know about it.
“To be six goals down in a crucial game like that was unforgivable,” he said. “St John’s came to play, took it right up to us and they wanted it more. A few of our boys might have thought they could just turn up and win.”
CYs came out after the long break refocused and edged to within 18 points at the last change on the back of a four goals to two third quarter. But there was still plenty of work to be done in the last term.
“It was backs to the wall stuff,” Rickman said. “I called on a special effort from our backline. I thought if we could keep them goalless in the last quarter we could win.”
The CYs defence stood up big time and answered the call by restricting St John’s to a mere three points in the final 30 minutes.
The whole back six was watertight, led by Shannon McAlpine, Nick Walsh and Phillip Johnson.
McAlpine came to the fore when the game was on the line and must have repelled at least six attacks with his inate ability to read the play in the dying minutes.
There was only one match-winner and he was nowhere near the defensive 50.
Josh Vanderloo showed why he is one of the best focal points in the competition with eight goals.
The mid-sized forward has the all-round package: a strong pair of hands, a precision kicking boot, speed off the mark and ability to out-smart any defender.
“It was a phenomenal effort from him to kick 8.1,” Rickman said.
CYs have one last chance to move out of the relegation zone for the first time since round nine when they host third-last Glen Eira at Fearon Reserve on Saturday.
“If we can’t win this one, it’s more than likely going to end in relegation for us,” Rickman
conceded.
-Lance Jenkinson
VAFA scoreboard
Division 1: Williamstown CYMS 15.11 (101) d St John’s 13.9 (87)
