R9 2025 | Reserves Vs South Melbourne
On the bounce after a hard-fought victory against Whitefriars, the Unicorns looked to establish a buffer at the top with West Brunswick, both sides having lost only one match in the first eight rounds. Making the journey to the stunning Woodfull-Miller Oval was South Melbourne, two games behind the home side. South Melbourne has been a constant come finals time in the years gone by, with a trip out to Lindsay Hasset Oval not being one of the preferred destinations, as a grind encounter is sure to follow. Fresh in the minds of the Unicorns was the Semi-Final defeat to the Swans in 2023, and Coach Cambo sought to inspire his troops to a rousing response.
From the outset, it was clear that a high-scoring encounter would not be on the cards, as both sides wrestled within the middle of the ground and repelled forays into the defensive ends. In a team stacked with talent, it was the teenage Henry Lake who shone the most, his decision-making under pressure a class above despite his youth. On the opposite back flank, Tom Sears stuck to his shutdown role from the off, determined to win every contest on offer. It would be wrong to say that South Melbourne weren’t winning more of the battles as the period played out (whilst utilising the wind to their advantage). Still, an ever-miserly defence and some wayward goalkicking helped limit the damage, wasteful in their output with 2.5 their reward. Down the other end, the Unicorns’ front six were limited in their opportunities, but fortunately kept in touch, with two solitary majors for the term courtesy of a returning star in Lachlan Dowling. Off into the quarter time huddle, the Unicorns took a breath, fortunate to be only 5 points in arrears, trailing 2.0 12 to South Melbourne’s 2.5 17.
The breather helped spark the Unicorns, as they began to get stuck into their work. Mark Fenwick began an old-fashioned tagging job on his opposite number and helped quash the distribution from the middle. Matthew Giarracca stepped up in the clearances, using his agility and speed to home in on the loose ball, and his quality to dispose of it with intent. The endeavours of those behind them bore fruit for the Unicorn’s forward line, with Byron Gunn kicking a neat snap and Nicholas Campbell popping up from the contest with a speculative finish to help nose his side in front. The Swans were limited to three scoring shots for the quarter, full compliments to the defensive efforts of the home side, but managed to slot two majors for the term. An enthralling half of football concluded with the Unicorns nudging ahead to a 3-point lead, their efficiency in front of goal offsetting the efforts of their counterparts to control large swathes of the match, 5.3 33 to 4.6 30.
With both sides very much in contention for the four points, the tug of war continued into the third term, the tale twisting and turning with each moment. South Melbourne were magnificent for the majority of the term, quashing the Unicorns’ freedom of movement around the field, and consistent in their game plan and efforts to maintain it. With two minutes to go leading in the end of the term, the Swans had kicked away to a two-goal lead, a balanced 3.3 poised to give them the ascendancy. With only a solitary major to Mason Fennessy-Kent troubling the scorers for a desperate home side, something needed to give for the Unicorns to give them the spark to run their opponents down in the final term. Moments come and go in football – it’s up to those entrusted with them to make their mark.
For second-year player John Crilly, opportunity was thrust upon him, marking 20m out from goal. Part-time forward by name, perhaps, but not by nature, as he slotted truly to bring the lead down to a solitary major. From the middle, the ball funnelled its way down to the wing for another searching entry, and yet again, found its way into the arms of John. As the siren sounded, he took a deep breath, shuttled in, and to the delight of all around, slammed it through the big sticks. With nothing to separate the two sides, they both took counsel from their respective coaches, the scoreboard reading MHSOB 8.3 51, to South Melbourne’s 7.9 51.
Henry Lake shifts the football. Image courtesy of Jim Wilson.
Determined to right their horror ending to the term, South Melbourne bounced out of the blocks to kick the first major of the term. With a deep breath, the Unicorns fought back, edging the ball closer to their forward 50, but seemed unable to penetrate for a major. It took a moment of brilliance from Luke Stone, with a thumping effort some 50m(though in recollection, it could’ve been closer to 70) from home to find its way through the middle sticks edge the home side in front, some three points to the good. Unfazed, South Melbourne were again able to turn the tide of the term, and converted from close to range to put them ahead by a nose, with a third of the quarter to play. The Unicorns were unbowed and again forced the play down their end of the field, as South Melbourne hung on grimly.
The moment came in the form of a neat kick to a leading James Lake, and the prolific winger showed his class to kick the Unicorns ahead once more, to the delight of the home crowd. The icing on the cake came with moments left, as Nicholas Campbell squeezed a centring ball to a grateful Byron Gunn on the goal line, who made peace with a quiet game by poking the ball through to the relief of his teammates. The Swans never gave up, and went deep to swing it once more, but were only able to exact a point for their efforts, and the final siren sounded to end a wire-to-wire contest. Whilst relief and elation were evident for the Unicorns, they were lucky to find the result on their terms, as South Melbourne were left to rue some missed chances in front of goal and only brief lapses of focus, which ultimately cost them the match.
The final scores read MHSOB 11.6 72, to South Melbourne 9.10 64.
The Unicorns exit the first half of the regular season with only the singular defeat to the top seed, West Brunswick, and look to a road trip against Canterbury Reserves as their next challenge.
Final Scores: MHSOBFC 11.6-72 defeated South Melbourne 9.10-64
Goals: Lachlan Dowling 3, John Crilly 2, Byron Gunn 2, Nicholas Campbell, Mason Fennessy-Kent, James Lake, Luke Stone.
Best: Henry Lake, John Crilly, Mark Fenwick, Lachlan Dowling, Tom Sears, Matthew Giarracca