TonyK
CibbuanoSwans hold off Port
May 24th 2008 08:51
SYDNEY has withstood a late challenge from Port Adelaide to record a stirring 11-point at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Power started the final term 14 points in arrears, but goals to Peter Burgyone and Daniel Motlop inside the first minute narrowed the margin to two points.
When Motlop added his second at the 14-minute mark, Port hit the lead for the first time in the match and looked set to record a gutsy come-from-behind win.
But Sydney lifted in a physical final term, with goals to Jarred Moore, Tim Schmidt and Jarrad McVeigh sealing the 16.9 (105) to 14.10 (94) win.
The loss means Port now slump to 11th place on the AFL ladder with a 3-6 win-loss record, while Sydney are within striking distance of the top four with five and a half wins.
Brett Kirk led from the front for the Swans with 31 possessions. Jude Bolton was busy in the middle with 25 possessions, while dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes (22 disposals), lifted in the final term when the match was up for grabs.
Moore was lively for the Swans with three majors, while Ryan O'Keefe, Amon Buchanan, Jarrad McVeigh and Michael O'Loughlin all chimed in with two goals.
For Port, skipper Warren Tredrea booted three goals, while Brett Ebert starred with six majors - before being helped from the field late in the last quarter with a suspected ankle injury. Domenic Cassisi and Steven Salopek tried hard all day, racking up 26 possessions.
The first term was an attacking, free-flowing affair, with the Swans booting eight majors in the 36-minute first quarter.
O'Keefe was lively early, booting two goals while Moore nailed a spectacular goal, battering his way past three Power opponents before slamming one home from the goalsquare.
Ebert was proving to be too much to handle for Leo Barry at the other end, booting three goals in the opening stanza to keep the home side in touch as the Swans took a 12-point lead into quarter-time.
Port Adelaide started to get on top at the stoppages in the second term and piled the pressure on the Swans.
Goals to Tredrea and Ebert brought the Power to within a kick before Sydney hit back with goals from Darren Jolly and Moore to wrestle back the ascendancy.
Tredrea's third goal on the stroke of half time brought Sydney's lead back to 11 points at the main break.
The Power closed to within a goal early in the second half when Ebert kicked his fifth. It would prove to be as close as Port would get to the Swans in the third term as both sides struggled to find an avenue to goal in a scrappy quarter of football.
O'Loughlin, who had been relatively quiet all afternoon, came to life with two goals in 80 seconds to give Sydney some breathing space before Ebert's sixth major reduced the Swans lead to 14 points heading into the final change.
Port looked set to record a much-needed win as they slammed on the first three goals of the final term to hit the front, but Sydney found another gear and kicked the last three goals to hold on for a season-defining win.
PORT ADELAIDE: 6.1, 9.5, 11.7, 14.10 (94)
SYDNEY: 8.1, 11.4, 13.9, 16.9 (105)
GOALS: PORT ADELAIDE: Ebert 6, Tredrea 3, Motlop 2, Lade, Gray, P.Burgoyne
SYDNEY: Moore 3, O'Keefe 2, Buchanan 2, O'Loughlin 2, McVeigh 2, Bevan, Kirk, Bolton, Jolly, Schmidt
BEST: PORT ADELAIDE: Ebert, Salopek, Cassisi, Boak, P.Burgoyne, D.Pearce, Tredrea
SYDNEY: Kirk, J.Bolton, Goodes, Moore, C.Bolton, Jack, Jolly, Mattner
INJURIES: PORT ADELAIDE: Salopek (ankle), Ebert (ankle)
SYDNEY: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, McInerney
CROWD: 25,013 at the AAMI STADIUM
The Power started the final term 14 points in arrears, but goals to Peter Burgyone and Daniel Motlop inside the first minute narrowed the margin to two points.
When Motlop added his second at the 14-minute mark, Port hit the lead for the first time in the match and looked set to record a gutsy come-from-behind win.
But Sydney lifted in a physical final term, with goals to Jarred Moore, Tim Schmidt and Jarrad McVeigh sealing the 16.9 (105) to 14.10 (94) win.
The loss means Port now slump to 11th place on the AFL ladder with a 3-6 win-loss record, while Sydney are within striking distance of the top four with five and a half wins.
Brett Kirk led from the front for the Swans with 31 possessions. Jude Bolton was busy in the middle with 25 possessions, while dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes (22 disposals), lifted in the final term when the match was up for grabs.
Moore was lively for the Swans with three majors, while Ryan O'Keefe, Amon Buchanan, Jarrad McVeigh and Michael O'Loughlin all chimed in with two goals.
For Port, skipper Warren Tredrea booted three goals, while Brett Ebert starred with six majors - before being helped from the field late in the last quarter with a suspected ankle injury. Domenic Cassisi and Steven Salopek tried hard all day, racking up 26 possessions.
The first term was an attacking, free-flowing affair, with the Swans booting eight majors in the 36-minute first quarter.
O'Keefe was lively early, booting two goals while Moore nailed a spectacular goal, battering his way past three Power opponents before slamming one home from the goalsquare.
Ebert was proving to be too much to handle for Leo Barry at the other end, booting three goals in the opening stanza to keep the home side in touch as the Swans took a 12-point lead into quarter-time.
Port Adelaide started to get on top at the stoppages in the second term and piled the pressure on the Swans.
Goals to Tredrea and Ebert brought the Power to within a kick before Sydney hit back with goals from Darren Jolly and Moore to wrestle back the ascendancy.
Tredrea's third goal on the stroke of half time brought Sydney's lead back to 11 points at the main break.
The Power closed to within a goal early in the second half when Ebert kicked his fifth. It would prove to be as close as Port would get to the Swans in the third term as both sides struggled to find an avenue to goal in a scrappy quarter of football.
O'Loughlin, who had been relatively quiet all afternoon, came to life with two goals in 80 seconds to give Sydney some breathing space before Ebert's sixth major reduced the Swans lead to 14 points heading into the final change.
Port looked set to record a much-needed win as they slammed on the first three goals of the final term to hit the front, but Sydney found another gear and kicked the last three goals to hold on for a season-defining win.
PORT ADELAIDE: 6.1, 9.5, 11.7, 14.10 (94)
SYDNEY: 8.1, 11.4, 13.9, 16.9 (105)
GOALS: PORT ADELAIDE: Ebert 6, Tredrea 3, Motlop 2, Lade, Gray, P.Burgoyne
SYDNEY: Moore 3, O'Keefe 2, Buchanan 2, O'Loughlin 2, McVeigh 2, Bevan, Kirk, Bolton, Jolly, Schmidt
BEST: PORT ADELAIDE: Ebert, Salopek, Cassisi, Boak, P.Burgoyne, D.Pearce, Tredrea
SYDNEY: Kirk, J.Bolton, Goodes, Moore, C.Bolton, Jack, Jolly, Mattner
INJURIES: PORT ADELAIDE: Salopek (ankle), Ebert (ankle)
SYDNEY: TBC
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Margetts, Rosebury, McInerney
CROWD: 25,013 at the AAMI STADIUM
| 52 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
