Sport
28 August, 2023
Maldon take thrilling elimination final victory over Lexton
The elimination final between Maldon and Lexton promised to be one of the closest games of the first week of finals, and it duly delivered with a rock-and-rolling final quarter proving to be the highlight that thrilled onlookers at Newstead. Lexton...
The elimination final between Maldon and Lexton promised to be one of the closest games of the first week of finals, and it duly delivered with a rock-and-rolling final quarter proving to be the highlight that thrilled onlookers at Newstead.
Lexton were able to get the jump with the first couple of goals as they looked to utilise their run and carry on the wide expanses of Newstead.
However, Maldon started to win the ball out of the coalface, and duly delivered the final three goals of the quarter to hit the front at the first change.
It looked as though the size of Maldon’s big forwards were going to wreak havoc throughout the day, and they were able to extend their lead to 15 points in the second term after adding another three goals to two.
The third quarter was a beauty as both teams tried their utmost to keep their season alive.
Maldon knew that it was this quarter in the corresponding meeting between these two teams last season that ultimately cost them any chance of progressing to a semi-final, and kicked four goals, while Lexton kicked five goals to reduce the margin slightly to 11 points at the final change.
The final quarter was finals football at its best.
Lexton fired the first shot, sucker-punching the Dons who had led since the first quarter with goals through Tom Fisher and two efforts from Jimmy Templeton to lead by eight points early in the last.
But Maldon fought back with a flurry of late shots which saw them hit the front, and then a free kick, coupled with a 50 metre penalty for ill-discipline, meant Jordon Collins, who was fittingly the best player on the ground, was able to seal the game and Lexton’s season with it.
Alongside Collins, Billy Miller, Alex Farrow, Seb Greene, Adam Robinson and Noah Thompson also played well, and the Dons now progress to a semi-final meeting with Trentham.
For Lexton, who took a slight step back after winning through to the semi-final last season, Thomas Cullinan, Jordan Phelan, Jaykeb Lench, Jack Peacock, Lachlan Rokebrand and Templeton were in the best.
Maldon coach Damien Lock was happy to take a finals win in the club’s 150th year.
“I’m relieved. It was a real dogfight. Lexton came to play, as you would expect in a final, and to our boys’ credit we showed enough fight in the end to get the win,” he said.
Lock made adjustments to the lineup between the two halves, saying the midfield needed to clean up its ball use.
“I think it was more the fact that we were bombing the ball inside 50 in the first half. We tried to be more controlled in the second half with our ball use and make sure Lexton weren’t able to surge forward,” he said.
“Our boys showed a lot of toughness and I was proud of the way they fought it out.”
Lock praised his back six combination, which allowed them to shut down Lexton while they were on the back foot early in the final term.
“The guys down back did a fantastic job. Max Johns, Billy Miller and Adam Robinson were great and our captain, Billy Johns as well. It’s a tight-knit unit and we’re rapt to get the win and move onto next week,” he said.
Playing Trentham holds no fears for Lock and his men, having had a reasonably competitive outing against the Saints away from home earlier in the season.
“At this stage of the year, we’ll back ourselves against anyone. We have no fear. If we play the way we want to play, which is winning footy and giving our forwards the best opportunity to kick goals, who knows. We’ll go in there with a nothing-to-lose attitude,” he said.
“We know Trentham are red-hot favourites, having been top four all year, but we’ll give it all we have and see where it takes us.”
Until then, Lock says it is a “satisfactory” year, and will be looking to make it better next week.
“It’s been a satisfactory year. We’ve found that we built a little bit in the second half of the year and found some more consistent footy. We’ll go over next week looking to win, and if we can do that, I’ll be satisfied. But right now, it’s a pass mark,” he said.
