By Tara Murray
Taylors Lakes showed glimpses of what it can do on Saturday as it made it two from two in the Essendon District Football League division 1 season.
Last season’s division 2 premiers, the Lions were hoping to come up and fit in at the higher level.
With back-to-back wins against Roxburgh Park and Moonee Valley, the Lions have done exactly that.
Coach Steve Burns said they were really happy with how the season had started.
“I’m really happy, we’ve done enough to get the job done,’ he said. “It’s really pleasing to be playing up to the standard of the level of the competition so far.
“You have no idea as we haven’t played at this level for a few years. We’re pretty happy.”
Burns said while they haven’t put a whole game together, they’ve played well enough in patches to get the job done.
On Saturday, it was the third quarter that was the difference against Moonee Valley.
The Lions led by seven points at half time, before kicking nine goals to one in the third quarter to open up a 51 point lead heading into the final quarter.
The Lions then went on to win, 17.13 (115)-9.14 (68).
Burns said seeing that type of football was really exciting.
“Nine goals in the third quarter, I was so proud of them,” he said. “They played well and they showed that they can play our brand.
“If that is what we have to do to win matches at the moment, we’ll take it. There’s a lot of improvement to come, a lot of boys are out.”
Jack Burns was the leading goalkicker for the Lions, finishing the game with four.
Marc Lock and Nathan Kennedy were named their best.
Burns said they were missing eight of their best side in the win against the Fog.
He said most of them would come back into the side in the next few weeks. Burns said those who had come in to fill the spots had done a really good job.
“Jacob Hutchinson, our full back is to return and Danny Younan didn’t play yesterday [Saturday],” he said.
“Samuel Kosmak and Luke Nappi, a couple of our small forwards are out and Jordan Madden one of our big recruits hasn’t played yet.
“Ethan Caffari Is another one. The players that will come in will improve us.”
While happy with the start, Burns said they weren’t getting ahead of themselves. After a break for Easter, the Lions face Avondale Heights St Albans in the next two matches.
“We have internal expectations,” Burns said. “We still don’t know where we sit on the scale of things.
“We look at our side and then we see others at their best. It will take the competition five or six weeks to sort it out.”
In other matches, St Albans made it two from two with victory against Tullamarine.
The Saints led all the way in the 14.15 (99)-8.12 (60) win.
Hillside is winless after two rounds, losing to West Coburg.
After leading at half time, the Sharks were outscored nine goals to four as they lost 14.12 (96)-10.8 (68).
