Cobras salute in ANZAC thriller

Darley v Bacchus Marsh – By Todd Whelan

Bacchus Marsh needed the last goal of the game to clinch a one-point win over town rival Darley to go 2-0 for the first time since 2016.

The Cobras led at every change to deny a desperate Devils outfit who hit the front halfway through the last quarter to lead by as much as 11 points, only to be denied by unlikely hero Tyler Huynh who snapped truly in the dying moments.

A monster crowd made the trip to an ‘under construction’ Darley Park to witness another chapter in the healthy rivalry between these two willing combatants. The Cobras win narrows the Anzac blockbuster record back to 4-5 in favour of the Devils. But that record accounted for very little at 5.30pm Saturday as contrasting emotions hijacked the landscape at the final siren. Darley Club President Mark Shelley addressed the players, officials and crowd with an Anzac tribute and later awarded the Greg Light Medal to Andy Azzopardi (Darley best) and Laurie Wheelahan Medal to Jake Owen (Bacchus Marsh best). Shelly along with RSL dignitaries made heartwarming tributes upon reflection – putting the days occasion into perspective. Cobras Captain Jake Owen was the star, led from the front with his contested marking and three goals. Nick Stuhldrier was the sole midfielder in the first half to find any real space as weight of numbers around the ball made it difficult to extricate, leading to countless stoppages. It was an arm wrestle first half, far from a highly skilled, free running contest you could expect in perfect conditions. Pressure around stoppage proved the catalyst for poor disposal, while perceived pressure played its own role, impacting the youth especially with their execution on arguably the biggest stage finals aside.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-04-26/19

in the 26 April 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.