DLS 5.3 5.3 7.7 7.9 51
Uni Blacks 0.0 1.4 2.6 2.9 21
Best: Dimitri Fasoulis, Matt Colak, Liam Wood, Chris Aitken, Harry Gustin, Andrew Walker
Goals: Dimitri Fasoulis 2, Steve Hogan, Matt Colak, Luke Williams, Tom Stanton. Liam Wood.
Kicking to the end where 8 of the 9 game goals were scored, Fasoulis snapped amazingly from a pack within 2 minutes of the match start. A fierce contest ensued until a Steve Hogan mark / goal booked our superiority on the scoreboard. Matt Colak goaled from a ruck free & the confidence grew accordingly. Brilliant play out of the following centre bounce, landed the ball with Luke Williams who then goaled on the run from about 40 meters.
Blacks re grouped by getting numbers at the contest until Liam Wood marked on the flank some 45 meters out. You know the game Is going your way, when his shanked kick landed with Tom Stanton, all alone 40 meters out directly in front. A 50 meter penalty made a certainty of the goal as the siren sounded to end Q1 with DLS up 33:0.
Blacks turn to use the scoring end started well with them in total control, but the defensive unit, aided by some superb tackling held firm. Their solitary goal at the 12 minute mark demonstrated our strong defensive team effort. Despite not scoring, although we had several promising opportunities, we took a 23 point lead into the main break.
In steady rain, Blacks started strongly from the centre bounce & maintained the ball in their offensive zone. Stout defence with Morris & McGraw prominent kept Blacks scoreless. After a superb chase down tackle on our HB line, we surged the ball forward for a behind from a promising opportunity. From the kick in a scrum developed from which the irrepressible Fasoulis snapped another amazing goal at the 5 minute mark. Try as they might Blacks could not score.
Eventually, after being constantly in attack, Blacks scored their only goal for the quarter at about the 10 minute mark. In what was really a series of scrums, players of both sides struggled to get the ball into the open. Mid way through Q3, Liam Wood converted from 40 meters to give DLS an unassailable lead at ¾ time of 31 points.
Q4 started, with Blacks going to the more favourable scoring end, but it was Fasoulis whose” Daiocos dribblers’ rolled perilously close to goal. Blacks attacked repeatedly but only minors resulted! An incident on our wing/ half forward in which Nick Robertson was severely concussed, required several minutes of medical attention while he remained motionless. We are grateful for the expertise of our physios & the Uni Blacks player who attended to Nick with great care. Thank you!
Conditions became impossible with rain intensifying. Great win by a group of players who have bonded strongly over the last season & a half. Good reward for the great coaching job from Steve Hogan & Peter Harte.
Good to see the “irrepressible one” receive the medal for the best on ground performance.
