Montmorency has conceded their third straight loss at home against a swift Whittlesea outfit, pushing them down to seventh on the ladder.
Despite a promising opening half and a 13-point lead at the major change, a goalless third term allowed the Eagles to swoop on their unsuspecting counterparts.
Signs were positive from the Magpie camp pre-match, with the game marking the return of skipper Jesse Donaldson and Northern Knights star Sam Binion.
Away from his usual position in the midfield, Donaldson acting as a small forward proved to be a coaching masterstroke, with the captain slotting the first of the game.
For the first ten minutes of the quarter, strong pressure acts and crucial one percenters harkened back to the early season form.
Matt Hunt’s determination around the contests gave Montmorency first access to the ball, with veteran Daniel Keenan duly converting.
Youngsters Anthony Bernardi and Riley Howe were integral on the wings early on, with Howe notably besting a three-on-one contest to kickstart a Montmorency forward assault.
The Magpies’ tackling was similarly evident in the quarter, with six tackles laid in the forward 50 alone.
Although Whittlesea gathered more momentum as the term progressed, Bill Jenkin cut off several of their forward entries playing as the loose man in defence.
The efforts of Jenkin and the Magpie defence limited the Eagles to 1.4 for the quarter, the major a result of a 50 metre penalty.
An on-the-siren Ben Walton goal gave the Magpies some breathing room, resulting in a two-goal lead entering the second term.
The opening intensity and purpose of the Magpies was commended by coach Ben Haynes at the quarter-time address.
But there were areas that needed to be addressed.
“[At stoppages] we’re getting too many numbers at the source, what we need is better protection behind the footy,” Haynes said.
Jenkin as the loose man had helped to protect the Magpies’ vulnerable area, yet the wind – now going Whittlesea’s way – would make the task far more difficult.
Even with the wind against them, Montmorency surged forward, accumulating three inside 50s in the first minute of play.
Ben Walton, uncontested in the goal square, slotted his second and stretched the Montmorency lead.
Whittlesea remained in the fight with two back-to-back goals early in the piece.
Yet a Connor Dalgleish pack mark, again in the goal square, limited the damage.
For most of the second quarter the play was locked in an intense wrestle for control, with neither team able to definitively assert their dominance.
Stephen McCallum orchestrated several attacks forward and was vocal around passages of play, sparking signs of fight within the Magpies.
But it was the start of the second half which marked the decline of the Magpies and the subsequent emergence of the Eagles.
An undisciplined downfield free-kick and 50 metre penalty gave Whittlesea forward Janan Daniel his second, beginning the Eagles’ unopposed four-goal term.
Akin to their namesake, the Eagles swooped on their opportunities, and were damaging through the centre to hit their targets up forward – a skill absent from the Magpie outfit.
The Magpies had their chances, and despite multiple forward entries, were unable to take a mark in the 50, with 0.7 being scored in the term.
Joel McLellan’s efforts in the ruck were commendable and gave the Magpies further opportunities to press forward, yet Montmorency were unable to capitalise.
The relentless Whittlesea pressure created a Montmorency team of two halves – both being totally unrecognisable from one another.
Whittlesea led by eight points at the final change, this being the first time they had hit the front all day.
“You cannot clock on and off,” Ben Haynes said at three-quarter time to his players.
“Too many times we’re just trailing in and can’t work hard enough, and that’s the result.”
Haynes implored his players to harness their first half endeavours, but the Magpies were unable to reinstate themselves back into the game.
Similar proceedings dominated the final term, with Whittlesea booting five goals opposed to Montmorency’s late two.
Riley Howe showed fighting spirit and dedication with his run along the wings, while Xavier Cahill stood resolute in the defence.
Montmorency only mustered two marks inside their forward 50 – the result goals from Daniel Keenan and Patrick Fitzgerald in the dying stages of the game.
The rapid goals from the Magpies came too late, as the Eagles emerged victorious by 27-points.
Post-game, Ben Haynes labelled the Montmorency efforts for the entirety of the game as “nowhere near enough” as to what was required.
With finals football still possible, the Magpies will need to make every game count as they head into a crucial away game against Hurstbridge next week.
FINAL SCORE: Montmorency 7.16 (58) defeated by Whittlesea 12.13 (85)
BEST: Jenkin, McCallum, Hunt, McLellan, Howe, Cahill
Comments