Tigers hold on in a Nana Glen nail biter

Grafton and Port Macquarie will meet in the Senior Mens Preliminary Final on Saturday. Photo: Green Shoots Marketing

NANA Glen provided an unusual backdrop to an exciting match that saw Grafton just edge ahead of Port Macquarie.

A couple of hand held lawn mowers were fired up early on Saturday morning at Len Towells Oval to mark out a boundary line, centre square and goal squares at the non-traditional football venue but the effort to make sure games of footy were played was worth it.

In the first half of the men’s match, Grafton was always able to hold on to a slender lead as the ball whizzed up and down the small oval.

In the third quarter though Port Macquarie was able to gain some ascendency with Jesse Schmidt proving dangerous in front of goal. The last change saw the Magpies trailing by just the solitary point but with momentum on their side.

In the final term it was Ned O’Neill who proved the match winner kicking all three of the Tigers’ goals in the last quarter to take his tally for the day to six.

Braden Saggers kicked a late goal for Port Macquarie to give the Magpies hope of snatching a victory late but the final bell rang just as the ball was being returned to the middle.

At Woolgoolga it was a third quarter blitz by the Coffs Breakers that set up their hard-fought win over Northern Beaches.

The Breakers trailed the Blues by eight points at half time with Fraser Duryea kicking three first half goals for the home team to give a hint that an upset was in play.

The Coffs team knuckled down in the third term though to kick five goals while keeping Northern Beaches scoreless to build what turned out to be an unassailable lead once a late shower made conditions slippery.

Matt Giri kicked a couple of majors in the blitz to finish the day with four goals next to his name.

Breakers women by slenderest of margins

The women’s contest at Centennial Oval had a nail biting finish that may have been decided by the fickle bounce of an oval ball.

The Blues trailed Coffs Breakers by 9 points at the final break but threw everything into the final term to get the win.

Northern Beaches got to within three points late and continually surged the ball forward but couldn’t get the match winning goal.

One forward thrust resulted in a behind before another shot on goal looked destined to give the Blues the lead. Having bounced in the goal square, the ball then took an off break that would make Murali proud and allowing the Breakers to hold on by the barest of margins.

Port Macquarie’s women recorded their first win of the season recording a comfortable win over Grafton.

The Magpies were inaccurate in front of goal in the second term but straightened up after half time to run away from a determined Grafton.

MEN’S SCORES

GRAFTON TIGERS 5.3  8.5  10.6  13.10 (88)

PORT MACQUARIE 4.0  7.2  10.5  13.6 (84)

Goals – Graf: N.O’Neill 6, H.Anderson 2, T.Churchin 2, O.Merlet, B.Nelson, C.O’Neill. P.M: J.Schmidt 5, B.Saggers 4, J.Embling 2, W.Kelly, D.Morgan.

Best – Graf: R.Sheather, N.O’Neill, A.Popko, B.Nelson, H.Hoogendoorn, C.O’Loughlin. P.M: B.Saggers, L.Hodoniczky, J.Schmidt, R.Sonogan, D.Morgan, K.Taylor.

COFFS BREAKERS 2.3  4.5  9.8  12.8 (80)

NORTHERN BEACHES 3.1  6.1  6.1  9.6 (60)

Goals – Cof: M.Giri 4, R.Bennett, R.Close, D.Homan, O.McKenzie, A.Pyke, N.Stanlan-Velt, M.Trotter. N.B: E.Duryea 4, F.Duryea 4, J.Angel.

Best – Cof: Not recorded. N.B: F.Duryea, F.Thompson, D.Johnson, N.Biggs, L.Benson, Z.Edwards.

WOMEN’S SCORES

PORT MACQUARIE 3.0  4.9  9.13  13.15 (93)

GRAFTON TIGERS 1.1  2.1  2.2  3.2 (20)

Goals – P.M: S.Kelly 4, F.Bagley 2, R.Beeton 2, C.Dyer, J.Garland, L.Moloney, E.Ryan, G.Verrecchia. Graf: R.Anderson, E.Crispe, K.Smidt.

COFFS BREAKERS 0.4  1.5  4.5  5.6 (36)

NORTHERN BEACHES 1.0  2.1  3.2  5.5 (35)

Goals – Cof: J.Hoyle 2, D.Watson 2, L.Young. N.B: K.Basset 2, G.Boyle, L.Hill, B.Schofield.