Falcons Fall Just Short

FALCONS FALL JUST SHORT

By Darrell Kent

It was a tight contest all day but at the final siren West Perth had lost their season opener to Claremont by four points. The final scores were 8.13 (61) to 9.11 (65). As the score indicates it was a tight, tough encounter during which both teams had periods of ascendency but a three goal burst by the visitors in the last quarter set up their win. West Perth surged late but were beaten by the siren.

The start of the game saw behinds kicked early before former Tiger, Anton Hamp, scored his first for his new team, West Perth. From here the home team controlled play and by the seventeen-minute mark led by eighteen. Tyler Keitel scored the first of his brace after marking thirty out and big man, Zac Patterson, snapped a clever goal from the pocket after the ball bounced over the pack. Claremont hit back courtesy of Bailey Rogers but a Mitch Peirce reply came soon afterwards. He took possession at a boundary throw in and bounced one through. Unfortunately for Falcon supporters Claremont got one back just before the siren. As a result, West Perth led by eleven at the first change: 4.3 (27) to 2.4 (16).

The game tightened up even more in the second term with only three goals being scored. Claremont kicked the first two and led by one midway through the term. The only Falcon goal came at the twenty-seven-minute mark when Tyler Keitel snapped around his body for his second.  West Perth kicked six behinds for the quarter and probably should have led by more than the nine points that they did. At the main break they had worked hard for their 5.9 (39) to 4.6 (30) lead.

West Perth struggled to hit the scoreboard in the third quarter. Their only goal came at the eight-minute mark when Tyler Keitel took possession at a throw in and got the ball to Aaron Black who kicked a clever goal from deep in the pocket. It was a class finish. This took the lead out to fifteen but the rest of the term belonged to Claremont. They kicked three unanswered majors and let by three at the final change. Alexander Manuel, for the Tigers, was a dangerous forward all day and he added two to take his game tally to four. The game was still very much in the balance as the 6.11 (47) to 7.8 (50) score line would suggest.

The game looked done and dusted when Claremont dominated the first half of the last quarter to go to an eighteen-point lead but the Falcons were not done with. They rallied strongly and the charge was led by Conal Lynch who kicked a team lifter from the pocket. A rushed behind followed before a very good pass from Zac Patterson hit Keegan Knott on the chest forty out. He finished accurately to reduce the margin to five. An Anton Hamp snap at the twenty-four-minute mark just missed and the four-point margin remained until the final siren. The fightback showed enormous character but unfortunately the home crowd didn’t get the result that they hoped for. The final score was 8.13 (61) to 9.11 (65).

The result was a bitter pill to swallow but there is still a lot to look forward to as the team can only improve with the outing. Best players were emerging ruckman, Michael Mallard, defender Mark Hamilton, Mitch Peirce, Aaron Black and Trent Manzone. Tyler Keitel was the only multiple goal scorer and he finished with two.

The Reserves went down in another very tight encounter. They led early but were beaten 9.5 (59) to 11.11 (77). Claremont had the better of the last term and that proved to be the difference. There are a number of players who will be pushing for a League game. Best players were Alec Johnson, Callum Johnson, Logan Foley, Koopah Todd and Lochlan Paton. Logan Foley kicked three majors and Jared Cole two. The Colts started the day in great fashion with a 10.7 (67) to 8.11 (59) victory. They were very impressive. Players to stand out were Kane Bevan, Jack Demarte, Daniel Gathercole, Harry Cabalzar and Mitchell Lonnie. Jack Demarte kicked four and Jacob Templeton, in an impressive debut, scored two including the goal that sealed the game. A trip down to Mandurah next Sunday to play a strong Peel side coached by Geoff Valentine. A tough task but you can be sure that the Darren Harris led Falcons will give it a real shake. See you at the game.