There was plenty of sizzle in the saucepan when Sebastapol Vikings tried to cook the Goldfield’s goose at Soldiers Memorial Park last weekend.
Still fighting for top place on the league ladder, and having annihilated Castlemaine’s Division One men earlier in the season, the Vikings no doubt wanted and expected an easy afternoon.
But the Maine’s young team refused to climb into the cooking pot. With confidence up after a successful month, they attacked down the wings with flare and pace, held steady in defence and through the midfield, and hustled and harried their opponents from go to woe.
This induced frustration that was expressed in the form of several impolite remarks by Sebastapol players, particularly towards the referee, who felt compelled to keep matters in check by handing the visitors four yellow cards then, finally, a red.
These did nothing to improve either the mood or play of the Vikings, who had started the game well enough when a skewed cross drifted over the upstretched hands of Goldfields keeper Brendan Connelly and into the top corner of the net.
Unbowed by this misfortune, Castlemaine replied within a minute via a long-range shot from striker Bear Hackenberger that was parried by the Vikings keeper but still wriggled into the net.
The 1-1 half-time score remained unchanged throughout the second half despite some heart-in-the-mouth moments at both ends. Perhaps the most decisive of those was when ‘keeper Connelly launched himself headlong to his right to thwart a penalty then sprang catlike to his feet to re-gather the ball.
Goldfields team mates and supporters erupted in cheers and backslapping.
While youngsters Tristan Van Pagee Anderson on a wing, Taro Muller at left back and more seasoned midfielders Jono Burris and Joel Huzzey played excellent games, the most significant contributor for the Goldfields was “team spirit”. With dash, discipline and doggedness, every player’s effort said to their older and better-credentialed opponents: you will NOT cook our goose today.
The Division Two men, who themselves had taken some roasting by the Vikings earlier in the season, remained staunch after two hapless defensive lapses left them 0-2 down.
They steadied and created some promising attacks of their own, with Tony Cormack smacking a header into the crossbar and Dan Park breaking down the left flank with dash and dare in the second half.
Graham Cullen was industrious in midfield and Dom Crinsom showed safe hands after swapping his attacking shirt for the ‘keeper’s top in the second half when Kane Parker injured an ankle.
The return of tenacious Dean Nendick was a boon for the side.
This weekend marks the final games of the season for the men as they travel to Ballarat to taken on Forest Rangers.
