SKOB have snuck home after a tough and torrid battle with the new kids on the block Fitzroy who may not have claimed the points but certainly enhanced their reputation of being a team that is hard to beat. After 4 tense terms, SKOB Seniors managed to get their nose in front and held on for a two goal win. It was almost a mirror image of the Reserves game where SKOB found the roys to be difficult to overpower, but eventually pull away from - which in turn was a mirror of the first game of the day when the Stingers held out the Roys. So a 3-0 result against Fitzroy at the King, but it was anything but easy against a proud club that prove they are more than up to the challenge of the top tier. It was smiles for the Academy in their home away from home of Mentone, with a win over Trinity. The Saints Gold and Blue both kept their winning runs going, saluting over the Monash Blues at Monash. Our Under 19s were all on the road with the Premier team again on the end of a heartbreaking loss. This time to Uni Blues. Pitcher Park has never been a happy hunting ground for many a team and the Div 2’s found this out, going down to Parkside at the home of the Devils. A similar fate was found by the Div 4s when they crossed the West Gate and came up against a slick Willy team that were too good for them on the day.
SKOB get it done as skipper cracks the ton
I’m not quite sure if there's a deal with the devil but the weather Gods have been nothing but kind to football fans and players alike this season. Every Saturday seems to put on a belter with sun shining and perfect playing conditions. So it was on the weekend for those that ducked out of the cool shade and into the warming glow. The King was looking a treat and a great crowd in attendance with a full book for the Ladies lunch and a solid contingent of travelling fans ensuring that the atmosphere for this clash would be at its peak.
With captain Sam Critchley set to play game #100 for the mighty SKOB, the home team were looking to celebrate in the best way possible, but as Fitzroy have proven in the short time they have been at the top echelon they are a tough team to topple. With their key target out, my insider at Fitzroy hinted this would be a defensive battle, and the roy boys definitely brought the great wall with them to the King.
Goals were at such a premium that this was more Premier League than Premier VAFA as a scoreline of 1 goal each when the players hit the first huddle was a further reminder to SKOB that this was going to be a day where sleeves need to be rolled up and hard work was the only way to achieve ultimate success.
Term two was much like the first, although SKOB got away to a handy lead on the back of goals to Wardlaw and Gunson in the opening ten minutes. Despite the early strikes this was no dam wall breaking. Fitzroy were hitting the packs hard and it was a pretty tight stoppage game. Both teams tried to switch play and open it up but equally both teams were alert to the tactic and quick to adjust. The visitors were the only team to register a major for the rest of the term and it was obvious that it would be the patient team that would prevail. As the teams hit the sheds for the main break there was less than a kick in it.
SKOB were able to nudge ahead on the back of a Paddy Kerr major to start the third and were holding sway until Fitzroy opened up the corridor and started to hit the scoreboard. The footy was bouncing end to end and seven goals were registered in the back half of the term with the visitors kicking 5 of them to turn for home with a slight lead. Andrew Mathieson on debut for SKOB had wrestled back the lead with his first goal but the roys answered and home fans knew they were in for a ding dong final quarter.
Again Paddy Kerr booted an early goal as is his habit but it too was quickly answered. Then followed a period of 10 minutes where SKOB had a ton of play but could only muster behinds - four of them - as memories flashed back to last week when poor conversion cost them the four points at Uni. Would today be the same story? Fortunately for the home faithful, two long goals back to back at the 17 minute mark put fears at bay and established a lead comfortable enough to take to the finish line, although Fitzroy did goal again and it took a 28th minute sealer from Kerr on the goal line to really calm the nerves. A two goal margin at the end was hard earned, but no less appreciated by the home team who were able to salute and celebrate their captain in his milestone match.
BEST: Billy McGee Galimberti, Andrew Mathieson, William Coates, Callum Jones, Nicholas Sing, Sam Critchley
Ressies get the better of the roys - but only after a struggle
Yanni was away this week so has outsourced the filing of his report:
"The SKOB’s reserves we looking to backup their good win last week with another strong performance against the visiting roys. They did so but it was far from plain sailing as the boys from the inner north proved a very tough opponent to shake. The defensive pressure applied by the visitors was intense and SKOB found it tough to penetrate a very disciplined Fitzroy backline. Forays forward were often spoiled through hard chasing causing the final kick inside 50 to skew. Despite the pleas of the scoreboard attendant who was posting plenty of encouragement, SKOB could only muster a single major to the main break, and although only conceding two to the opposition, found themselves down at the half. Resisting the urge to panic, SKOB stuck to the task and the game started to open up in their favour. Tom Williams dobbed his second goal of the game before the Coop Show began. Will Cooper booting back to back goals to close out the third quarter, then opened the fourth with back to back goals again to set the scoreboard alight - literally. Goals to Merrett and Naughton rounded out the quarter and SKOB finished with what looked a comfortable margin - although it was anything but.
With a challenging few weeks to come, the Ressies have it all ahead of them but are well placed with a few players hitting decent form, most notably Will Cooper, Christian Woolrich, Hamish Reimers, Nick Tonge, Cooper Chaffey and Lachie Merrett"
Academy at home away from home / Stingers lift after lull
Our man on the ground filed his report before heading off to HQ
Mentone. The natural home of SKOB. Sort of, kinda…. Just happy to have a ground we got to Southern Reserve to square off against Trinity.
Messy early, it was only work rate that had The Academy go to half time 4 points up. James Cooper, playing possibly his best half of footy for the SKOB’s, was responsible with his running and a couple of goals for keeping Skob in the contest.
After a quick review and return to SKOB Academy footy we more clinical in the 2nd half and slowly ground out an ugly 4 goal win.
Dan Macarthy was a bull at the stoppages, Liam Foo a giant 5’4” and gave drive and intensity beyond his stature while Harris Carlin never relented on his ferocious intensity over the ball.
Asked post match about the win Coach Ollie summed up the feeling of the coaching group, ‘I’ll take an ugly win any day over an honourable loss…’
The win takes the team from a precarious 0-3 start to to a positive 4-3 position approaching the half way point of the season. Top Academics were Daniel McCarthy, Harris Carlin, James Cooper, Liam Foo, Harrison Trotter and Daniel Gambell responsibly.
The Stingers were backing up on a three day break from their midweek loss to AJAX yet were looking anything but lethargic from the short spell as they stretched out to a five goals to one half time lead. The air was crisp but the sun shone and skills were showing as the stingers skipped away to a handy lead. in the third term it was all Fitzroy as they fought their way back into the contest, kicking three goals and holding their hosts goalless to turn for home just a few points adrift.
Enter "Dancing" Ricky Caldow. The young veteran soon turned the game back in SKOB's favour setting up one, then scoring his own to put a gap on the opponents. The team responding in kind to boot another couple and run away to a solid victory, but this game set the tone for the day as it was a very determined Fitzroy that proved a tough opponent to shake. Best for SKOB were Lachie Haig, Jesse Battistella, Cooper Lanyon, Hugo Read, Zach Close and Harrison Martin.
Saints snap sleepy start
It was a slow going Saints Gold who had to get their game in gear after half time. The six goal to zero second half was more than enough to get them past Monash in the end, but at half time there was cause for concern as the students from Monash were showing more than an ounce of pluck. Celebrating their Pride Round the home team was looking to put on a big show, holding SKOB to a single goal for the half. The Saints lifted their rate in the second half and with Kate Stanton booting 3 goals were able to run away with the game in the finish. It was a great day for Zara Guss who celebrated her 50th game with a best on ground performance. The experienced players from SKOB led the way with Zara Guss, Kate Stanton, Bree Doyle, Sarah Betts, Scarlett Dunell and Sarah Cameron all featuring in the best.
Blues making their move
Having lost their opening three games of the season, the Blues have flipped their fortunes completely, storming to big wins in the subsequent three rounds to barnstorm their way to a position just outside the top four. Coach Strauss has never lost faith in his players and always knew the rewards would come for all the hard work they have put in. Only one goal conceded across the last three rounds, the Blues are starting to show a ruthless streak. On Saturday they started with all guns blazing, registering 9 scoring shots to zero, with only inaccuracy restricting the margin. Monash made life harder for SKOB after quarter time, but the Saints were able to roll on to a comfortable win. Beth Carr booted 3 and the better players were Dom Garcia, Sienna Vallejo, Brooklyn Perry, Jessica Mounas, Caitlin McDonough and Lucy Leckey. Another challenge awaits next week.
The Green Machine had a dose of flu and unavailable players impact their team this week and had to forfeit their game against the MCC.
Premier pipped at the post again
More heartbreak for the U19 Premier team who went under for the second time in three weeks, on this occasion finding themselves two points adrift of Uni Blues. Close all day, SKOB were 5 points ahead as they turned for home but Uni managed two goals to one in the last quarter to just sneak in. It’s been a tough pill to swallow for the young SKOBBERS who could be sitting well clear in second spot if those two games had gone the other way. Footy can be a tough teacher, but SKOB will get a chance to bounce back again next weekend. Best for SKOB were Hudson Lefoe, George Delimitrou, Liam Edwards, Ben Ball, Conor Lynch, Mark O'Mahony.
The Div 2’s found themselves back at Pitcher Park to take on Parkside. They were there in round one and unfortunately for SKOB the result was a similar one, but this time around SKOB were much improved and were still within shouting range at the last change. The devils were just a bit too strong in the end and pulled away for the win. SKOB best served by Finn Slattery, James Hunt, Will Batchelor, Jordie Mcelhone, Sam Crack and Gus Simpfendorfer who battled all day
Our Div 4 lads crossed the bridge to take on Willy in an early game on Saturday. The slick Willy boys were too much for SKOB, who fought it out to the end. Best were Dante Pettinella, Ronan Smythe (3 goals), Max Timlock, Joseph Frain, Charles Wilhelm, Lachlan Manning
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