Sunshine’s tough start to the Western Region Football League division 1 season has continued with a 53-point loss to Deer Park.
The Kangaroos were left to rue a number of missed chances around goal, kicking 2.14.
At the other end of the ground, the Lions were more on target. And thanks to a powerful forward set-up, they grabbed a good lead.
With the margin at 25 points heading into three-quarter time, Sunshine coach Brett Jacobs was hoping for one last push from his players.
But it was Deer Park that found another gear.
The 11.13 (79) to 2.14 (26) win, Deer Park’s fourth of the season, sees it remain on top of the division 1 ladder with a perfect record.
Sunshine slips to eighth spot on the ladder with a single win to date.
“We just really got outplayed in the last quarter,” Jacobs said.
“I thought our pressure was good for the first three quarters and we really took it up to them. We just couldn’t sustain it for four quarters… once our pressure dropped off, they were just too good.
“It was disappointing to let them kick five goals in that last quarter because I thought the scoreboard really didn’t reflect the contest.”
Despite wet and windy conditions, Heath Ayres again showed his class. He was well supported by Brent Guerra, who kicked two goals. For Sunshine, Jake Allan and Patrick Wiggins worked hard but didn’t get enough support throughout the day.
After losing three of the first four games of the season, Jacobs said he saw a number of improvements in his side at the weekend.
“We have identified a few things we haven’t been doing all that well, and I think we were a lot better in those areas,” he said.
“If we can apply that sort of pressure again, I think we will be putting our best football together pretty soon.”
In round five this weekend, Sunshine will take on Port Melbourne and Deer Park will meet Spotswood in a rematch of last year’s grand final.
In other division-1 results at the weekend, Spotswood smashed Albion, St Albans proved too good for Yarraville-Seddon and Werribee Districts and Port Melbourne had a thrilling draw.
