The Coburg Lions have gone down by 11 points to the Northern Blues, at Preston City Oval.
The Blues showed more hunger in the contest, playing for retiring skipper Brent Bransgrove in his 100th and final game of VFL football.
Northerns’ pressure forced multiple Coburg turnovers, ensuring the visitors paid on the scoreboard and that a late comeback wasn’t to happen.
Lech Featherstone was a shining light for the visitors booting 5 goals while Nathan Thomas racked up 35 disposals.
Both sides started the contest well goaling early, with the Senior Lions moving the ball better from the stoppage via
Lachlan Johns, who would leave the field shortly after with a knee injury.
Poor Coburg checking gifted the blues two goals in a row allowing them to break out in front by 20 points.
Coburg wrestled back a bit of the momentum, however, didn’t use the ball effectively on entry to the 50, allowing the Blues a quarter time lead of 19 points.
The visiting side responded immediately after the break, but couldn’t break through for consecutives with sloppy footwork gifting the blues a goal.
Lively goals from Michael Ercolano and then Nathan Thomas seemed to spark Coburg into gear but again it would be
scrappy footwork which would cost, gifting the blues another run in goal.
A second Michael Ercolano goal wouldn’t be enough to fire the lions before the half, with the margin at a comfortable 16 points.
The Northern Blues came out of half time with a spark, kicking the opening 4 goals of the third term to lead by 32 points.
The home side continued to capitalise on Coburg mistakes, not allowing them to gain any form of momentum into the last quarter, extending their lead to 33 points at three quarter time.
Dion Hill sparked the Lions early into the final term, as Brent ‘Box’ Bransgrove came onto the field for his final time. A late flurry of Coburg goals reduced the lead to 11, but it was too little too late, with the final siren going shortly after.
Both the Senior and Development sides will not play next weekend on account of the State League bye, our next home game is the 4th of June vs Richmond.
Goal Kickers: L. Featherstone 5, D. Younan 3, M. Ercolano 2, P. McEvoy, N. Thomas, L. Hunt, D. Hill
Best Players: L. Featherstone, N. Thomas, R. Schraven, T. Goodwin, M. Mattingly, D. Younan
