Round 12 (Hearts) Match Review, 2024

 

Hearts Match Report

Old Haileyburians     1.0     1.0     4.1     5.2 (32)

Old Melburnians        1.0     2.3     3.3     5.5 (35)

Goals: L.Thea 2, B.Hanrahan, E.Main, Rundle

Best: E.Gown, A.Hetherington, F.Vanin, E.Rundle, S.Shepard, N.Nowlan

Debut: Siena Shepard

 

How the VAFA saw the match:

Old Melburnians stole a crucial four points in the context of their season, while big wins at the top of the ladder saw the top sides extend their gap to the mid-table.  There are now just four weeks left of the home and away season, and while the top four teams appear to have broken away, fighting for that home final in the first week could be pivotal.

Opening the round on Saturday was Old Haileyburians hosting Old Melburnians, as the Omlettes claimed a three-point win away from home.  The OM’s needed to bag the four points against the Bloods, who going into the contest, sat just one win above them on the ladder. A loss would have meant OM’s were all but certain to finish last.

In the opening term it was the Bloods who struck first, off the boot of Bridget Hanrahan. Her goal was immediately matched by OM’s Prue Harvey to level the scores into the first break at a goal apiece.  The second quarter was dominated by the visitors. They couldn’t quite capitalise on such momentum, but still managed to open up a handy nine-point buffer into half-time.

Old Haileyburians, sensing the importance and significance of the game at hand came back firing.  Harvey put the Omlettes up by 15 points early in the third, before a run of three unanswered Bloods’ goals gave them the lead at the final change.  Lucy Thea extended the Old Haileybury lead out to ten points, before Harvey slotted her third to bring it back to a one kick ballgame.

All seemed to be going the way of the Bloods before a goal to Old Melburnians from Clare Fraser near on the final siren, stole the game and with it a vital four-points.  All five OM’s goals from Harvey and Fraser gave mentions among the best for Old Melburnians alongside Milly Treacy.  While for Old Haileyburians, Ella Gown was named in the best for a remarkable tenth time out of a possible 12 games this season.