Coburg end pre-season on a high

The Coburg Lions have thrashed the Frankston Dolphins by 77 points.
The Lions built momentum throughout the game, finishing with an 11 goal back half to storm home in the final practice game of the pre-season.
In a congested start to the game neither side was able to gain ascendency with end to end play and solid defence resulting in a slow opening.
Robert Fox was able to convert from 45 out to get the Lions moving, with Peter McEvoy and Nathan Thomas continuing the momentum kicking back to back goals.
It was end to end play throughout the opening quarter with both midfields tightening the screws resulting in low clearance numbers, Coburg getting a rare break leaving Ahmed Saad to finish from the square.
Solid defensive work from the backline unit, kept the opposition goalless in the first term, the Lions ahead by 29 at the first break.
Slick work on the transition from Saad and McEvoy to open the second term saw Josh Cauchi find the scoreboard for his first major.
The Coburg midfield applied great pressure at the stoppage forcing long kicks from the Frankston midfield, which were easily intercepted by the likes of Staples, Stillman and Lehman.
Patient transition play from the defensive fifty allowed Johns to find Goodwin for the second goal of the quarter.
Lech Featherstone then became the 9th individual scorer for the game extending the lead to 9 goals, before Frankston managed to peg four back, before the end of the half leaving the margin at 29 points.
Daniel Younan added a second goal to his telly to begin the third quarter as the Lions took it up a notch, adding both Uysal and Holdsworth to the team.
The increased pressure allowed the Lions to lock the ball in their half, however, it was not converted on the scoreboard with four consecutive behinds.
Frankston was able to break the Coburg wall and convert their first major of the half, however, this is all they would manage, as Saad, Younan, McEvoy and McDonald all cashed in to take the three quarter time lead to 53 points.
The Lions again stepped it up in the last practice quarter before round 1, with Saad and Younan showing why they will be a force this year, contributing to every goal scored in the term.
The eventual margin 77 points.
The Coburg Lions Seniors are at home next week (April, 9th) to take on North Ballarat in the season opener, while the development side have the bye.
Final Score: Coburg: 18.7115   Frankston 5.8.38
Best: Mattingly, Staples, Saad, Younan, Allan, Hunt
Goals: A.Saad, P.McEvoy, D.Younan 3  R.Fox, , N.Thomas, J.Cauchi, L.Featherstone, T Goodwin, L.Johns, D.McDonald, J.Iacobaccio, L.Hunt