It wasn’t the prettiest of contests, but Geelong Amateur co-coach Sam Lloyd has hailed his team’s ability to handle the pressure served up by Modewarre as it stayed unbeaten with a 39-point Good Friday win at Mt Moriac Reserve.
The Pegs led all afternoon to claim a 12.13 (85) to 5.16 (46) victory over the inaccurate Warriors and remain on top of the Bellarine ladder.
“Credit to the boys, they fought it out,” Lloyd told krockfootball.live following the clash.
(It) probably wasn’t our best footy… but they’re the ones you want when you still get the win.
“But credit to Modewarre, too. They played a lot of good footy in good patches.”
Former St Mary’s and Werribee star Joe Maishman was outstanding in the Ammos midfield alongside the always industrious Riley Ferguson.
Young ruck Patrick Ryan, who replaced the injured Hamish Shepheard (ankle), produced an admirable performance against Modewarre big man Zack May, while Lloyd showed his class with four goals.
With veteran spearhead Mitch Day held to the lone goal by Warriors captain Morgan Fenton, Ammos had to work hard for their goals, especially in the first half.
“They pushed us back a lot,” Lloyd said.
“There were definitely times in the game there where they probably pushed us back 20 or 30 metres, and we were able to handball out through good chains of handball.
“But, I think we broke them open. That was always the focus of the day, coming off a six-day break.
“They’re going to come early. They were always going to come early, and we just had to weather the storm as much as we could, and then we knew the game was going to open up with the weather, and we’re fortunate enough to have a good midfield change.
“Guys coming on and off that know how to play midfield, so that was sort of the difference in the end, I think.
“We might have got on top of them a little bit there.”
Despite the loss leaving the Warriors at the bottom of the ladder, coach Mark Hovey was pleased with the effort from his young charges, with seven players having made ten or fewer senior appearances for the club.
“I just said to the boys, I’ve coached for a while now and been involved, and it’s probably – it sounds weird – the happiest I’ve been in a loss like that,” Hovey said.
“I can’t question the commitment of the boys and the way they tried. They were pretty amazing at times.
“But I said to them, ‘I’m frustrated’. I want the reward for them because they’re the ones who were getting belted and bashed and crashed into out there.
“I feel for them. They’re trying, but it’s just a bit tough at the moment.
“But it is what it is.”
Trailing by 19 points at half-time, Modewarre had numerous chances to put pressure on Geelong Amateur on the scoreboard in the third term.
However, the Warriors finished with nine behinds for the quarter, putting paid to their chances of an upset win.
Running defender Oscar Cooke again showed why he was of interest to GFNL clubs in the off-season, while fellow defender Michael Harper and St Joseph’s recruit Oscar Hocking battled hard.
Modewarre will face Queenscliff in Round 4, while Ammos head to Howard Harmer Oval to take on Barwon Heads.
They should get back Shepheard, while veteran forward Jai Sheahan is also a chance to take on the Seagulls.
Meanwhile, an eight-goal haul from Banjo Dyer has spearheaded Torquay as it ended its winless start to the season with a 73-point hiding of Barwon Heads at McCartney Oval.
The Tigers dominated the contest after quarter time, kicking 14 goals to three to post a 16.19 (115) to 5.12 (42) result.
Reigning Ash medalist Matt Boag was also influential inside forward 50 with five goals.
Big man Luke Davis was the best for the Seagulls, whose lone multiple goalkicker was Sam Witherden with two majors.
The round finishes tomorrow, with Portarlington hosting Newcomb at Ron Evans Oval, Queenscliff will chase its first win against Drysdale at the Couta Bowl, and Anglesea and Ocean Grove do battle at Ellimatta Reserve.
X: @krockfootball
