Tara Murray
A brave Burnside Heights fell just short of its first Essendon District Football League division 2 grand final on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears and Taylors Lakes put on a show for the crowd in the qualifying final and it was the Lions that just got over the line, winning 18.6 (114)-16.7 (103).
Bears coach Cole Harvey couldn’t be prouder of his group and the way they fought through adversity.
“They were brave,” he said. “We lost [Lachie] Evans in the first quarter, he did his hamstring.
“Matthew Larkin did his hamstring in the first quarter and Dion Lawson strained his hamstring as well.
“We basically had one on the bench from quarter time onwards.”
The Bears started the better of the two teams, kicking the only five goals of the first quarter.
The Lions managed to lead by two points at quarter time and it was the Bears leading by that margin at three quarter time.
The margin grew to 20 points in the last quarter, but the Bears ran out of legs on what was a warm day for football.
“We just ran out of rotations on the bench,” Harvey said. “We kicked the first three of the last quarter and they got us in the end.
“Could not be prouder of them, they were unbelievable.”
Harvey said the group would be better for the experience and that they felt they were really well prepared.
He said their preparation had been brilliant but there wasn’t much they could do after having those injuries which meant some plans went out the window.
Harvey said it was a really good game to watch and in the end it was a war of attrition and the Lions deserve their spot in the grand final.
Jayden Stiles kicked four goals for the Bears, while Nick Gregson, Lawson and Adam Sullivan kicked three goals each.
Harvey said Stiles was sensational up forward, Mason Bawden was fantastic and Sullivan was great.
The Bears will now face Westmeadows or the Northern Saints in a preliminary final this week.
Harvey said they would go and watch that game saying they know what they’re up against no matter who they face.
He said they had a couple of players come back in, including captain Jordan Hughes, and they would be better for the run.
Harvey said they would maybe get a couple back for the preliminary final, with key forward Daniel Hovey among those.
“We have to pick ourselves up and go back to Rupo and have another crack at it,” he said. “Getting a really high pressure finals game was good.
“We hope we can have one more crack at Taylors lakes in a couple of weeks.”
