A long-range set shot goal from forward Patrick Rose with 20 seconds left on the clock handed Altona a thrilling one-point victory over Spotswood in the Western Region Football League division 1 at J.K. Grant Reserve on Saturday.
The Vikings led by 23 points at three-quarter time, but goals to Jason Marks, Dylan Callard and two to Josh Drage gave the Woodsmen an unlikely lead deep into time-on of the last quarter.
It was Rose, one of the Vikings’ top new recruits, who owned the moment, saving his side with a match-winner from 50 metres out.
“We thought if anyone was going to kick it from that distance, it was going to be him,” Vikings coach Saade Ghazi said.
“He was recruited to the club to kick those big goals and he was able to do that against Deer Park in round one and again this week to win us the game.”
Altona is off to a flying start. The Vikings faced a daunting opening three rounds, playing three of last season’s powerhouse sides, but they are two-from-two with last year’s runner-up Sunshine to come in this Saturday’s mouth-watering round three encounter.
It was important for the Vikings to back up and beat Spotswood in front of their fans.
“A great win,” Ghazi said.
“Obviously it was a home game, the president’s luncheon was on and there were quite a few people there, so it was good to get the four points against a strong footy team.”
On the balance of play, Altona deserved the four points, albeit by the slimmest of margins.
“We were obviously the best team for the first three quarters, we led all day,” Ghazi said.
“Credit to Spotswood, they kept coming and kept getting their hands on the footy and they hit the front with a couple of minutes to go, so it got a bit nervy there.”
Defensively, the Vikings have hardly put a foot wrong, conceding a stingy 58 points per game over the first two matches, but Ghazi would like to see his team lift its scoring rate.
“Overall, it’s been good team defence, it’s not just your back six or seven,” he said.
“It’s the way you get your numbers back and your midfielders rolling down and helping your defenders and your forwards rolling down through the middle of the ground.
“Defensively we were very good, but we’d like to score a bit more.”
Jayden Post was Altona’s most consistent performer. He was solid as a rock at centre half-back and showed just how important he is to the structure of the team.
Others to impress for Altona were Jack Marlais, Lee Spiteri and Luke Goetz, while Rose and Sean Tighe snagged two goals apiece.
Elsewhere in division 1, Deer Park registered its first win of the campaign, beating Hoppers Crossing by 28 points.
St Albans eclipsed Caroline Springs by 14 points, Sunshine accounted for Wyndhamvale by 48 points and Werribee Districts claimed top spot with a 73-point win over Albion.
In division 2, Yarraville Seddon pummelled Parkside by 62 points and North Footscray eased to a 55-point win over Manor Lakes in the Saturday night showcase, but there were losses for Newport Power and West Footscray.
In division 3, Laverton went down by 41 points to Tarneit and Braybrook will square off with North Sunshine in the Anzac Day clash.
