Development Lions claw back Tigers

The Development Coburg Lions has had a gutsy turn around win against Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval.

Trailing by five goals at the quarter time break, and three goals at three quarter time, Lions stood up from across the park to get over the line in a free flowing contest.

Jake Kalanj was a stand out down forward kicking a bag of seven, while Captain for the day Matthew Merlo lifted in the midfield when his side most needed him.

Werribee dominated the early proceedings, locking the ball inside their fifty with the aid of some poor Coburg foot skills in transition, as both sides adjusted to conditions.

Better rebound across the Lions half backline opened the game up, however, the Tigers were too strong around the contest, moving the ball freely through the centre, goaling four times in a row from open play to take a 30 point lead at the first break.

A lift in intensity and a strong tackle from Jake Kalanj allowed Micheal Ercolano to get on the end of  a left bomb to finally get the visitors on the board, before Kalanj would kick two in a row minutes later to have them back in the game.

Better work around the grounds from Merlo, McConville and Valeri saw Coburg continue to hold momentum, Kalanj again rewarding the hard work with accurate kicking to reduce the Tigers lead to 12 points at half time.

Some undisciplined play from both sides cost early goals at either end to open the third term.

Werribee wrestling back some momentum and capitalising, quickly restoring their earlier lead, 24 points separating the teams late into the third.

Jake Kalanj would again take a stand, snapping off the pack to cut the margin to 18 points, giving the Lions a sniff into the final term.

Jesse Corigliano snuck forward five minutes into the last, cutting the margin to 10, the closest it had been since the opening term.

McConville and Merlo, serviced by Kovacevic turned it up another notch in the centre of Chirnside Park, winning consecutive centre clearances to allow Coburg to draw scores level.

Brilliant end to end play via handball and a clean assist from McConville ended with Kalanj who would slot his 7th for the afternoon, a free kick to Rhys Free then doubling the lead to 11 points.

The Lions boys holding out a final push from the Tigers to run out eventual 12 point winners, to go stand alone at the top of the Development League table.

 

Best: J. Kalanj, M. Merlo, M. Stillman, M. Kovacevic, B. Bailey, M. Ercolano

Goals: Kalanj 7, Ercolano 2, Corigliano, Flower, Free