St Bedes/ Mentone Tigers maintained their unbeaten status and sit third on the ladder in VAFA Premier Division after a hard-fought draw against De La Salle at East Malvern on Saturday.
•The Tigers were very quick out of the blocks and had a couple on the board before De La were able to settle and with Jack Hellier dominant out of the centre and Michael Wintle in everything up forward were able to extend their lead to 25 points before De La pulled one back on the bell. •In the second De La continued to struggle under the Tiger pressure and tackling and the Mentone team looked in good shape as they extended their lead to 28 points but the Blue & Golds wouldn’t give in and with 3 unanswered majors got themselves back in the contest before St Bedes pulled one back to lead by 14 points at the long break.
•After half-time, the Tigers again took control and with Michael Wintle bagging his fourth and Dean Porter and James Tyquin steadfast in defence took their lead out to 27 points only to have the Malvern team rebound with a couple of their own to reduce the deficit to 15 points at the final break and keep the game in the balance. •De La were quick to take the ascendency in the last with 2 quick goals in first 3 minutes and looked to have St Bedes measure but then it was the Tigers turn to dig deep and they did so with a quick reply and some tough physical football to extend their lead to 9 points. •From here it was a battle of wills as the ball was moved from one end of the ground to the other until eventually the home team with a major and several forced behinds took the lead for the first time in the game at the 18 minute mark. •This was then a signal for the some of the most physical minutes of the contest as the tough-as-teak Tigers again took control of the footy and summoned one last effort to finally scramble the equaliser at the 27 minute mark and then held the ball in their forward 50 for the next 4 minutes only to be denied victory by a desperate De La who held the Tigers 15 metres out from goal as the siren sounded. •The draw was a result most befitting of the game as all day De La refused to give in and then when they did hit the front St Bedes had the mental toughness to respond and draw level – who could ever say the draw shouldn’t have a place in our great Australian game.
•In another tight one, the Reserves were unlucky to lose by a solitary point, the Thirds went down by 14 points while the U19s beat perennial rival De La Salle by 8 points at home.
•Next Saturday the Tigers take on University Blues at Brindisi Street in game now shaping as hypercritical to both teams’ season.