The Murray Bushrangers have suffered a significant loss to Eastern Ranges in Round 17 of the TAC Cup competition. The Bushrangers led at the 20 minute mark of the third term before being totally outplayed and suffering a 49 point loss at the final siren.
The Bushrangers started the match in perfect fashion when Lachlan Tiziani kicked the opening goal from a long shot on the run. However Eastern were able to kick two goals and after a Josh Schache goal for Murray; again the Ranges hit the front with accuracy in front of goal. The Bushrangers had patches of their best football of the season, and after another Schache goal, Harrison Payne kicked a running goal to put the Murray team out to a 9 point lead. But such was Eastern’s run and spread they got to a 1 point deficit at quarter time.
The second term, saw the Bushrangers quick out of the block with goals to Ethan Boxall and another to Tiziani and a Bushrangers lead of 13 points. The midfield of Clayton Oliver and Murray Waite were exceptional at extracting the ball from congestion. However the game trend continued and after eleven minutes of play, the Eastern team levelled the scores; then took the lead by a goal. Defender David Mennen was great in his defensive rebounding; and Dylan McDonald provided plenty of run throughout the game in transition.
Debutant Bushranger Max Lynch from Albury; took a great contested mark and quick thinking handballed to Marshall who found Schache who kicked his third goal and level scores again. The Bushrangers took a 3 point lead into half time.
The third term was the Bushrangers for the first twenty minutes, and after multiple behinds Josh Schache kicked his fourth goal with great accuracy from a set shot. Great transition from defence to attack saw the ball go through the hands of Nick Coughlan, Isaac Wallace and Clayton Oliver and finally to James Cousins who kicked a beautiful goal and the Bushrangers led by 24 points at the twenty minute mark.
This was where momentum changed and the Eastern Ranges dominated from this point for the remainder of the game. In the final 32 minutes of the game, the Bushrangers kicked one goal and one behind; while Eastern kicked ten goals and eight behinds to eventually run out 49 point winners at the final siren after leading by 10 points at three quarter time.
Best for the Bushrangers, Clayton Oliver kicked the only Bushrangers goal of the final term within seconds of the siren to start the term, but the Eastern avalanche saw the Bushrangers crash to a heavy defeat.
With one game remaining in the home and away TAC Cup season, the Bushrangers travel away to take on the Bendigo Pioneers with a win needed to guarantee third place on the ladder and a double chance in the upcoming finals.
By Stephen Hicks
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS 12.8.80
EASTERN RANGES 19.15.129
Goal Kickers: Josh Schache 4 Clayton Oliver 2, Lachlan Tiziani 2, Ethan Boxall 1, Louis Pinnuck 1, Harrison Payne 1
Best Players: Clayton Oliver (Mooroopna), Josh Schache (Seymour), Murray Waite (Wangaratta), Lachlan Tiziani (Albury), David Mennen (Benalla), Dylan McDonald (Albury)
Last Modified on 24/08/2015 11:49