Men’s Premier Division Match of the Round Review – Inner West Magpies v UTS Bats
Written by Lucas Holmes
Recap
The Inner West Magpies won a thriller over Manly Warringah in round 16 by two points. The UTS Bats fell to North Shore by 106 points.
First quarter
Inner West required a win to ensure their place in the top five. Strike forward Lachlan Tiziani wasted no time getting the home side on the scoreboard.
Magpies Captain Callum McEvoy-Gray won a free kick on the half-forward flank. His short pass found Tiziani just inside the boundary. Tiziani converted the set shot from just inside the forward 50 arc.
Inner West made it two early goals.
Josh Robinson roved to Ben Zoppo inside the forward 50. Robinson broke a tackle and snapped under pressure.
The Magpies had all the territory in the opening 10 minutes of the term. However, UTS transitioned the football following a kick out for their opening goal.
From a defensive kick out, Michael Shem took an intercept mark and converted the set shot from 40 metres out on the angle.
Players from both sides struggled to keep their footing as the surface was slightly soft underfoot. The Magpies continued their dominance at clearances.
Tiziani added his second from close range.
Joshua Kimpton added The Bats’ second for the term before Thye Hamilton pounced on an error in the defensive 50.
Quarter time Inner West Magpies 4.5.29 UTS Bats 2.0.12.
Second quarter
The breeze started to take effect at Wagner Oval, and it was at the Bats’ back.
UTS were gifted a goal after five minutes of elapsed time. Connor Lappin wasn’t given the football back correctly and a 50-metre free kick was paid. Lappin kicked from inside the goal square.
The Magpies kicked a goal against the breeze.
A low, driving kick from Tiziani got over the initial contest inside the forward 50. Austin Ball fed McEvoy-Gray who screwed the football around from just inside the boundary.
Tiziani added his third in the first half as he drove a set shot from just inside the arc into the teeth of the breeze.
Some swift ball movement from the Inner West led to Ben Zoppo’s first of the afternoon. Nick Pleming’s high entry was marked just inside the behind line from Zoppo who made no mistake from the acute angle.
Ball added his own from the opposite pocket just over a minute later. Robinson then kicked his second,. It looked like the floodgates may have opened.
The Bats provided a spark towards the end of the second term.
Michael Hart kicked a running goal after Zach Bowles won a free kick just outside the forward 50.
UTS continued to apply pressure and began to get their hands on the football first around the contest.
Kimpton added his second (and third) just before the main break, and the margin was reduced to 29 points.
Half time Inner West Magpies 10.6.66 UTS Bats 6.1.37.
Third quarter
Luke Jamieson found Kel Evans from the opening bounce in the third term, but his deep entry was intercepted by Hart.
McEvoy-Gray forced a turnover for the Magpies’ eleventh goal.
Jackson McEwan sent the football to Tiziani and centre-half forward and immediately chipped to Ben Zoppo in the forward pocket. Zoppo from just inside the boundary and from 40 metres kicked his third.
The Bats started to dare off half-back as Billy Kanakis injected himself into the contest.
This caused repeated stoppages in the forward half and Patrick Gillingham capitalised.
From a boundary throw-in on the half-forward flank, Bowles broke a tackle and sent the football inside the forward 50 where Gillingham took a contested mark. Patrick converted the set shot in the non-preferred pocket for a right-footer. The Bats weren’t going away.
The Magpies continued to create opportunities in the forward half but couldn’t apply the finishing touch as the behinds started to mount up.
The Bats’ defence has to be commended, although due to the territorial dominance of the Magpies once UTS cleared the area they had minimal options forward of the football.
Pleming added his first from a tight angle. If not for a chase-down tackle from Bowles, Inner West would’ve had another.
Tiziani added his fourth from outside 50 after he copped a knock in the marking contest.
Three quarter time Inner West Magpies 13.14.92 UTS Bats 7.4.46.
Fourth quarter
Inner West showed no signs of slowing down in the last term as Ben Zoppo dribbled home from close range in the opening minute.
The Bats replied straight away through their Captain Jack Rogers. Gillingham centred the football inside the forward 50, and Rogers roved and kicked on the run from 30 metres out.
UTS had chances to further reduce the margin, however, the Magpies’ defence did just enough to deter Kanakis whilst Harrison Callahan pulled his set shot.
The Magpies ran the rest of the match out and added another three goals to their tally to set up an Elimination Final on August 21.
Full time Inner West Magpies 17.20.122 UTS Bats 8.6.54.
Kel Evans put on a superb display (particularly at stoppages). Thye Hamilton was dynamic around the ground whilst Lachlan Tiziani was unstoppable in the forward half.
Michael Hart was defiant in defence for the Bats. Connor Lappin racked up possessions all over the ground, and Josh Kimpton impressed inside the forward 50 and up the ground.
Inner West Magpies 17.20.122
Goal kickers: L. Tiziani 5, B. Zoppo 5, T. Hamilton 2, J. Robinson 2, A. Ball, C. McEvoy-Gray, N. Pleming
Best: L. Tiziani, K. Evans, L. Jamieson, B. Klemke, N. Pleming, B. Myers
UTS Bats 8.6.54
Goal kickers: J. Kimpton 3, P. Gillingham, M. Hart, C. Lappin, J. Rogers, M. Shem
Best: X. Barry-Murphy, B. Kanakis, J. Kimpton, A. McFarlane, C. Lappin, J. Rogers
