Balmacewen kick off with a win

The first game of the winter Intermediate boy's football competition took place on May 14th with the Balmacewen Intermediate Boys Football team playing Tahuna Intermediate Boys Football. The game was an away match for the Balmac boys, being played at Tahuna Park on a rather brisk evening after school. 

The weather and the location may have had something to do with the way the Balmacewen team got started.  After just 20 minutes of play they found themselves dominating possession and territory but three goals behind on the score board. Tahuna was making the most of the inexperienced, mostly Year 7 defensive line. Their three goals were all scored through counter attacking long balls after a chance had gone begging at the other end of the paddock. Needless to say the new coach of the squad (Fergus McLean) was struggling with his heart rate as he could see the win slipping from their grasp. Luckily for him, the team soon found its groove and through the efforts of an out of position Tyson Verburg slipping into central defence, the holes stopped appearing and the boys found themselves on the score board with ten minutes left in the first half through a well finished goal from Taine Hand. The team wasn't finished yet though with Beckham Wheeler-Greenal finding the back of the net twice in the space of five minutes. Three all at the half and things were starting to look up for the Balmac team. 

The second half continued the same way it had ended and Coach McLean was very happy with the expansive, attacking game the squad was able to achieve. Three further goals were scored by the Balmacewen team, all results of brilliant wing play on both the left and the right side of the field. The mid-field was well controlled throughout the game by the promising talent of Oliver Colloty. He had a great presence on defence and had his passes on a string when attacking, finding right midfield player Jake Foster time and again, who then delivered first class ball into his strikers all day long. 

The glue that held the team together and the decisive player of the match however,  was the captain and right defender George Bates. 

"The game was good. We passed well and moved around the field well.  We just need to work on our defensive side of the game." 

were his thoughts at the final whistle. A typically modest summation of the team's efforts from a player that must have touched every blade of grass during the hour long match. 

The final score ended at 6–4 in Balmacewen's favour. Beckham Wheeler- Greenal continued his fine finishing from the first half with a four goal haul by the time the final whistle blew. While there are plenty of things to work on, the team looks to have formed a quick bond that should hold them in good stead for the following games later on in the term. We all look forward to their next match in a few weeks time.