The stakes were high for both Brunswick NOBSPC and Ivanhoe when they met at Gillon Oval on Saturday. A win to the home team would mean drawing level with Ivanhoe on three wins and staying in touch with the top teams, while for the Hoes it meant getting ahead on the win/loss ledger. It was a true eight-point game, which was played accordingly, with the scores tight for most of the day before Ivanhoe pulled away late to win by 30 points.

The game was played in windy conditions typical for Gillon with a strong breeze blowing across the ground towards the croquet greens. Brunswick had the advantage of kicking to that end in the first quarter and looked much the better side in general play without really capitalising on the scoreboard, due mainly to a predilection for making forward entries into the defensive pocket.

In the second term Ivanhoe wrested the lead by better use of the attacking side of the ground and making us pay for some defensive errors, where the loss of Todd Cleary to injury was being felt.

The third quarter would tell the tale. We had the wind and needed a good lead to take into the final break. We were just starting to get on top when a good kick to the hot spot in front of our goal saw us with two forwards against one defender, but we lost out. It would prove to be a critical moment as Ivanhoe went coast-to-coast for a major then followed up with another soon after.

Kyle “Cooky” Adams, playing a lone hand up forward, kicked a couple for the quarter to keep us in touch, before another defensive howler saw us concede a goal from a boundary throw-in. Thankfully the quarter went for 34 minutes as Chris Ford snuck a six-pointer in right on the siren to reduce the deficit back to 12 points.

So it would come down to whether we could kick early goals in the last quarter to put the pressure back on Ivanhoe. Unfortunately the Hoes got one straight away, although Andrew Roberts did respond for NOBs.

After that we kept trying, but the longer the game went the more dominant the Ivanhoe backline became. Our day was summed when Cooky kicked our second for the quarter – and his fifth for the game – to keep us alive and from the ensuing bounce Ivanhoe scored the quickest of replies. They won the big moments and had the answers on the day.

Our best was Cooky whose form has been getting better by the week. Dan Mahoney was also excellent in the midfield, while first-gamer Nick Verbeek looked very comfortable at this level. Others to play well included Roberts, Jeremy Nettlefold, Chris Ford and Cam Fox.

This week’s results in Division 1 show it to be very even competition and all games are winnable. St Mary’s away is a challenge but one we are up to if we bring our A-Game. Get behind the boys at Ferndale Park next week.