St Bedes/ Mentone Tigers maintained (and enhanced) its record at Fortress Brindisi when it downed ladder-leader Beaumaris by a solitary point in their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday and in-so-doing themselves moved to the top of the Premier B table for the first time since Round 18 in 2007.
The Tigers kicked the first goal of the game but for the remainder of the quarter the visitors took the initiative and with late consecutive goals wrested back the ascendency to lead by 11 points at the first break.
In the second St Bedes, with Ben Dance and Chris Mangoni leading an attacking defensive unit, took control to bang on 3 unanswered goals only for the ladder-leaders to respond in kind to restore their position and take a 10 point lead into the long break.
After half time, the Mentone team assumed control of the game as Jaryd Robertson and Brayden O’Toole took ownership of the air and with Michael Barnes and Darcy Holden winning the battles on the ground, the Tigers looked to be on verge of the knock-out blow but the Blue team refused to concede leaving the scoreline reading a single point the difference as the two teams lined up for the last stanza
As befits a top-of-the-table clash, the challenger challenges and the leader resists and this is exactly how the final quarter played out – St Bedes/Mentone Tigers controlled the possession, time-in-forward 50, tackles, hardball-gets, the lot but couldn’t land the knock-out blow on their northern neighbours. The Tigers, as has been their way all year, looked to be running out the game far stronger than their local rivals, looked to be tackling harder and more often and in the end it was doubtless this continued relentless pressure and will-to-win every contest that got this emerging unit over-the-line again.
Winning from difficult positions, winning under pressure, winning against good teams is starting to become the standard for this team that is emerging as a group and as a team and these attributes will again certainly be called on as the season works towards September but knowledge of what it takes to succeed in these circumstances is being learnt week-in and week-out and that can only be a good thing.
Similarly, the Development Team after an inglorious display against the ladder-leaders last week came to show their true talent against the second team on the Premier B Reserve table, and after leading all day won another close one by the slenderest margin with Ben Nicoll, Lew Stutterd and Johnny Patounas the best in a very even team effort.
The Thirds worked hard and were in the contest at half time but eventually lost against an accomplished opponent in Therry Old Colls.
Both Under 19s found themselves on the losing end of encounters against Fitzroy and Parkside respectively – the Under 19 Development Team losing for the first time in 7 weeks away to the ladder-leaders where they were still in-touch at 3/4 time but unable to bridge the gap while the Under 19s had their colours lowered by 4 points in a close one but remain in 3rd position on the table.
Next Saturday the Seniors and Development Team take on Old Brighton at the Fortress with a view to reversing the result of their less-than-satisfactory loss against their Bayside rivals earlier in the season, the Thirds travel to Glenhuntly to take on Old Caulfield Grammarians and the Under 19s journey to Old Trinity while the Under 19 Development Team take on MHSOB in the first of a triple-header at Brindisi Street on Saturday.