THE CARLTON Reserves were left to rue a slow start against Footscray, falling by five points at North Port Oval on Saturday morning.
The Bulldogs had a fair lead the entirety of the match, but the Blues were able to cut the lead with a resurgent final quarter. It was anyone’s game after Carlton’s four consecutive majors, but Footscray was able to hold onto its lead to cut the Carlton Reserves’ winning streak short.
Matthew Cottrell had a successful game back from injury collecting 17 disposals and a classy final-quarter goal, while Lochie O’Brien (19 disposals, two goals) had a strong impact in both ends of the field.
Young gun Harley Reid put on the Navy Blue for an impressive game, and Jaxon Binns (26 disposals, one goal) was busy once again in the Round 6 clash.
Quarter one
It was perfect conditions for football as the sun was shining down in Port Melbourne, and Footscray was able to take control of the contest early with its backline applying the pressure. The home side proceeded to convert the first goal of the match, while the Blues struggled to hit the scoreboard after an early flurry. Paddy Dow and Ned Cahill had hot hands on the footy early and Harley Reid came out firing with a few hard tackles, starting at the first centre bounce. A 50-metre penalty saw the Dogs kick their second, before captain Ben Crocker got his team on the board. Footscray’s defence showed its authority in keeping Carlton from scoring, but a late major from O’Brien saw the Blues pluck one just before the siren.
Quarter two
Footscray was up by 12 points at the first change, but Carlton started to find its rhythm. Tom De Koning took a terrific mark and converted the set shot, but the Bulldogs were quick to respond with a goal of their own. O’Brien continued to move the ball nicely between the arcs, and Liam McMahon and Domanic Akuei were busy down back. Binns attacked the ball nicely, rewarding himself by booting a long range goal from the 50-metre line, but the Bulldogs were able to utilise the ball a bit better from here on in throughout a contested affair. A few late goals saw Footscray finish off the term the stronger of the two teams, taking a 24-point lead into the main break.
Quarter three
O’Brien continued his lively game and Lachie Plowman held up well down back, as the Bulldogs struggled to convert their forward entries into majors with the Blues stopping the hosts from hitting the scoreboard. Ned Cahill converted a nice snap in front of goal, while the returning Cottrell had some key defensive highlights in his first game of the year. Jordan Boyd battled manfully as the Blues looked to get themselves back in the contest, but the Dogs’ first goal of the quarter - in the final moments before the siren - once again saw the Blues trail by 26 points at the final change.
Quarter four
The Blues needed a quick start to reduce the lead, and that’s exactly what they did. Carlton’s leading goalkicker this season, Ben Ronke kicked a much-needed major, while the Blues’ backline showed dominance to lock the ball in Carlton’s forward half. Plowman and Liam McMahon’s aerial ability kept the Dogs at bay, while Cottrell and O’Brien kicked back-to-back goals after some hard running to cut the lead to just nine points. The Blues took control of the Sherrin as Dow and Jordan Boyd provided some run, and when Michael Lewis booted a major, things started to look good for the Blues as they drew within a kick. While Carlton fought hard in the final 10 minutes to wrestle the lead, it was a case of too little too late, with the Bulldogs able to hold onto their lead.
CARLTON RESERVES 2.3 4.5 5.8 9.10 (64)
FOOTSCRAY VFL 4.3 8.5 9.10 9.15 (69)
GOALS
Carlton: O’Brien 2, Ronke, Lewis, De Koning, Crocker, Cottrell, Cahill, Binns
BESTS
Carlton: O’Brien, Cahill, Cottrell, Dow, Binns, Plowman
Samantha Smith is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing her Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Journalism). She is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.
