The second round had us paired up with the Caulfield Bears, back on our home turf at Boss James.
Morale was high from the first bounce, with the boys also being wary of their opposition after coming off a win in the opening round. The first Quarter was congested and held an abundance of stoppages as both teams were held to low scoring terms with the Sandy-Rovers edging a slender 5 point lead at the siren.
The second term saw the margin widen a little with the Sandy Rovers piling on the pressure and playing smooth, transition footy. Our reliable backline was remaining solid, helping to give us a lead of 17 points at the main break.
The third quarter was in simple terms, our worst quarter, with many lapses in concentration as pressure, both around the ball and away from it fell away dramatically, leading to Caulfield clawing their way back into the match and earning themselves a tight 2 point deficit heading into the final term.
The game seemed to be on the wire, but this was turned by the determined Sandy-Rovers lads who finished with a flurry of 5 goals and 3 behinds to earn the first victory of the season.
Notable performances included Patty Kennedy who booted 3 goals and led from the front all day. Mitch Hall (who also snagged 3 goals) played a classic crummers game deep in the forward pocket. Ben Marron out of the Midfield, whose release kicks and inside 50 clearances were unmatched and aiding Ben in the midfield, Per Bellarts who played a truly pivotal role in taking 8 marks for the game, including 3 contested/intercept. Solid efforts across the board were a positive.
In our post-game excitement however, we forgot to give the awards on Sunday but they go to Ben Marron – Brown Cow award, Per Bellarts – Picasso’s award and Mitch Hall – Rovers Canteen award. Please see Miranda at Training and she will give you your award.
Round 3 next week places us away against St Kilda City where we should all be keen to further improve our game play.
