Rebuilding Redan leave Sunbury soul searching

Redan 5.8 (38) defeated Sunbury 2.5 (17)

A LACKLUSTRE affair was the only way to describe the battle of the McDonalds Ballarat Football League’s two Lions, with the game going down to the wire this past Saturday at the City Oval.

In a low scoring match with goals at the premium, it was the experienced heads of Lachie George and Grant Bell who were able to convert four of Redans five majors for the afternoon to get the 21-point victory in freezing wintery conditions.

Both sides made changes from their previous encounters with Redan without experienced defender Nick Barker and Sunbury down star ruckman David Kovacevic who failed to make the trip across.

The opening half was an intercept defenders dream with Redan’s Will Madden clunking various highballs down the line and Sunbury’s Tyson Lever having his own field day in his back half.

It took until time on in the second term for Sunbury to hit the scoreboard with two goals in five minutes from Jake Sutton and Corey Mobillo giving Travis Hodgson’s men a slender two-point lead at the major break.

The premiership term was an old fashion arm-wrestle with both sides failing to kick a major before George bobbed up inside 50 in the latter stages with his second goal and restored Redan’s lead going into the final break.

With both sides’ seasons on the line, it was really anyone’s ballgame. Yet it was the home side who were able walk away with the chocolates after a coaching masterstroke by Jarrett Giampaola, whose move of defender Tom Lamb forward was vital in his side walking away with the four points.

Redan stay within touching distance of the top six, level on points with Sebastopol, East Point, Lake Wendouree and the Ballarat Swans. Their experienced heads of George and Bell are always important but their success this weekend can once again be put down to the faith being put into their youngsters like Cooper Craig-Peters, Izacc Grant and Declan Murphy.