Sunbury Lions got out of jail against a determined Melton side on Saturday night in the Ballarat Football League.
What was looking like an easy Lions win in the first half, became a hard-fought contest with the Lions prevailing 9.16 (70) – 8.8 (56)
It was all the Lions in the first half and had they kicked straight, the game would have been all-but-over by the main break.
Instead the Bloods trailed by just 29 points despite failing to kick a goal in the first half.
PICTURE GALLERY: SUNBURY LIONS V MELTON
After the long break, the Bloods bumped up their workrate and twice got the margin to within a goal in the last quarter.
The Lions responded both times to ensure the win.
Lions’ coach Rick Horwood said his side’s composure in the last five minutes sealed the four points.
“I think we did get out of jail,” he said after the game.
“We’d kicked 4.10 up to half-time then they came out and kicked the first two, which put them back in the game and gave them a sniff.
MATHEW MEDCRAFT KICKED THREE GOALS.
“In the third quarter they out-worked us. The one really pleasing thing was the last five minutes of the game when we handled the pressure. It did look dire if we’d given up the lead.”
As well as poor goal kicking, the Lions were wasteful with their inside 50s for a second straight week.
“It was hard work, very similar to the week before. From about 70-80 metres out we didn’t have efficiency,” Horwood said. “We’ll look at the video and work on it.”
Mathew Medcraft kicked three goals for the Lions, including two in the last quarter, while Jack Sheahan got his hands on the ball in the forward line but couldn’t convert.
In the first win he has played in in more than 600 days, Grant Valles was voted best-on- ground.
While pleased with the win, the Lions are nursing an injury toll. Jesse Flannery didn’t play much part in the game after suffering concussion in the first quarter, while skipper Andrew Duhau hurt his calf in the second.
David Kovacevic suffered a corked thigh in the third quarter and, while he managed to play out the game, he spent a significant part of the third and fourth terms on the bench.
Horwood says Duhau will miss this weekend’s clash with reigning premiers Darley.
In contention to return to the senior side is vice-captain Adam Short, who played in the reserves on Saturday.
“It will be a terrific test to see where we’re really at,” Horwood said of the match.
“Obviously if we play like we did against Melton we’ve got no chance.”
