THE LAST GASP

THE LAST GASP by KC from Casey

Casey's Rian McGough is the toast of the town after his last gasp goal secured victory for the Scorpions over the Bendigo Bombers on Sunday.

The win ensured that the Scorpions retained third placing in what is becoming an exciting battle at the top of the VFL leader board and, with wins away from home against both of the competition's teams from Provincial Victoria, the club has now set an exciting benchmark for the remainder of the 2010 season.

Bendigo was hampered by the loss through suspension of coach Shannon Grant but put in a fantastic performance under caretaker Gary O'Donnell by coming back twice under difficult circumstances to put themselves into a seemingly winning position late in the game.

The conditions at the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Oval that greeted the visitors were certainly daunting. Rain during the week and three Bendigo Football League games on Saturday ensured that the ground's surface was muddy, particularly through the corridor and in the goal squares. A cold, biting wind blew straight down the oval and rain squalls were the order of the day. The visitors kicked to the scoring end aided by the gusty breeze which locals assessed as giving a five to six goal advantage and opened with early goals to Lynden Dunn and Daniel Hughes. After a quick reply from the Bombers, Casey went on to dominate the quarter taking a lead of 37 points into the first break after Michael Newton's goal (his second) on the siren. The Scorpions had 13 shots at goal to the Bomber's one at quarter time.

Casey's on ball division led by Danny Nicholls was working hard at the stoppages as the team kicked into the wind in the early part of the second term and, when Ben Macreadie scored his team's second for the quarter at the six-minute mark, it held a commanding 43-point lead. The defence held firm for several minutes before Bendigo began its run in mid-term and an avalanche of goals followed with the assistance of the roaring gale. When Bomber Kyle Reimers goaled on the siren, it completed a remarkable fight back of six unanswered goals in fifteen minutes that saw his team within a goal of the lead as they marched into the sheds.

The second half opened with Casey regaining the ascendency through a Jake Spencer goal followed by three more in relatively quick succession but, just when it seemed that the Scorpions would establish an unassailable lead, Bendigo struck back again in midterm. The Bombers kicked two goals into the teeth of the wind while Casey remained stuck on 12 goals and, when Lynden Dunn's after-the-siren shot, missed its target, the 19-point three quarter time lead simply didn't appear to be enough. If anything, the wind was strengthening.

Coach Brad Gotch pushed an extra man down into defence in an attempt to curb the expected onslaught and implored his troops to play tight and fight hard for possession of the football. The Bombers attacked but squandered their opportunities as they slowly narrowed the gap.

Casey suffered a setback when big ruckman Spencer injured his knee and had to be stretchered off the ground. The Scorpions had already lost Rohan Bail early in the game when he left the field clutching what appeared to be an injured jaw. The excitement was mounting as the seconds ticked away.

The Bombers kept missing the goals until a free kick from ten metres to Hayden Skipworth narrowed the gap to 10 points with plenty of time left. This was a time for dour defence and the Scorpion backline held firm. A dour James Taylor was at his bustling best and he had strong support from Evan Panozza, James Wall, Kyle Cheney, Michael Stockdale and Tom McNamara. Newton came back to take some telling marks and the team's defensive pressure was forcing the home team into errors as the clock ran down.

A goal to Darcy Daniher made it a two point game with 30 minutes gone and the Bombers continued to attack for two more points to level the scores for the first time since the game's opening moments. Just when all seemed lost for the Scorpions, who had not scored for the entire quarter and had not goaled since midway through the third, fate stepped in.

The defence was able to push the ball along the wing and into the forward line where McGough marked some fifty metres out, and with the entire space in front of him vacant, the Casey youngster played on into an open goal to kick his team's lucky 13th major with a minute left to go.

The Scorpion defence then duly ate up the remaining sixty seconds to see their team record a famous against the odds victory for their club.

HOW THE DEMONS FARED

Rohan Bail - lasted all of five minutes before sustaining a facial injury.

Daniel Bell - strong bodied midfielder who worked hard but didn't do enough to thrust his name in front of the selectors against other midfield rivals.

Kyle Cheney - played what has become characteristic of his defensive games. Hard at the ball, strong marking and the usual desperation in defence.

Lynden Dunn - marked strongly and worked hard around the ground. Kicked an early goal and was handy in the desperate final moments.

Rhys Healey - had little impact.

Daniel Hughes - kicked a couple of nice goals but didn't put his stamp on the game.

Paul Johnson - moved between defence and the ruck and had to do most of the ruckwork when Spencer was injured. Was probably more effective down back.

Jordie McKenzie - solid performance that would not have harmed his prospects of a return to the Melbourne team next weekend.

Tom McNamara - was part of a formidable defence that held firm for most of the day in trying conditions for backmen.

Addam Maric - had a solid first half but then faded.

Stefan Martin - played down back and up forward with the occasional run on the ball and needed the run after a couple weeks off with injury.

Michael Newton - a solid game. Took some great marks in attack and in defence and kicked two goals. One of the team's best.

Jake Spencer - a very good performance in the ruck until he injured a knee early in the last quarter and was stretchered off after looking decidedly wonky.

James Strauss - fulfilled a marking role in defence and did that well. Also showed out with excellent disposal.

Casey Scorpions 6.7.43 8.10.58 12.13.85 13.13.91

Bendigo Bombers 1.0.6 8.5.53 10.6.66 12.13.85

Goals

Casey Scorpions Hughes Macreadie McGough Newton Spencer 2 Dunn Fieldsend Maric Martin Spencer

Bendigo Bombers Daniher Skipworth 2 Bellchambers Carlisle Colyer Houli Quinn Reimers Still Silverlock

Best

Casey Scorpions Panozza Newton Taylor MacReadie Wall Dunn

Bendigo Bombers Bellchambers Slattery Crameri Skipworth Silverlock Hardingham

The Reserves went down to Port Melbourne by 8 points in a closely fought out game at TEAC Oval on Saturday. Tim Smith and Ben Waite booted four goals each while Mark Weekes was his team's best.

Casey Scorpions 7.4.46 10.7.67 13.10.88 17.13.115

Port Melbourne 3.2.20 11.5.71 17.8.110 19.9.123

Goals

Casey Scorpions Smith Waite 4 Simpson 3 Petropoulos Sykes 2 David Bell Purdy

Port Melbourne Oakley 5 Burstin Suckling 3 Bond Debruin 2 Free Kyriakides Mullins Scipione

Best

Casey Scorpions Weekes Patti David Bell Sykes Chivers M Dowse

Port Melbourne Fanning Kyriakides Suckling Burstin Keely Oakley