Saints take down lossless Nomads

Matt Foley was one of the Nomads best at the weekend.
New England suffered its first loss for more than a year after it was pipped by three points against Inverell in the Tamworth AFL competition on Saturday.
The Nomads had more of the ball and more shots on goal, but didn’t take their chances against the Saints, who were keen to make up for a narrow defeat last time the two sides met in Armidale.
It was the Nomads’ first loss of the season, but coach Zac Economou was in a positive mood on Monday.
“I think it was tough to motivate the guys after winning so many games,” he said.
“Even I could be guilty of not being as enthusiastic as I should have been.”
It’s a sporting cliche to call it the loss the Nomads had to have, but Economou says there’s a lot of truth to it.
”It’s a big wake-up call for us and we only have two more games before finals,” he said.
”We didn’t take our opportunities and we didn’t respond well to the pressure.
“We have to learn from that.”
New England blew its chances in front of goal, kicking 11.17 (83) to Inverell’s 13.8 (86).
Nomads skipper Weston Whitby was his side’s best player, but even he missed some opportunities he would have normally taken.
His five goals could have easily been eight or nine.
”It’s not doom and gloom for us,” Economou said.
“I think you’ll see us bounce back pretty strongly against Gunnedah this week and we’ll be fired up for the major semi-final.”
The Nomads and Saints will do battle for a grand final berth at Bellevue Oval at the end of the month.
Not for reproduction except by permission of the Armidale Independent
Round 13 2014
Saints def. Nomads | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | B | P | G | B | P | ||
Q1 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 23 | |
HT | 7 | 3 | 45 | 5 | 7 | 37 | |
Q3 | 10 | 5 | 65 | 7 | 13 | 55 | |
FT | 13 | 8 | 86 | 11 | 17 | 83 |
Team:
- C. Ballagh,
- C. Barker,
- C. Bender,
- V. Chakalisa,
- Z. Economou,
- M. Foley,
- M. Folpp,
- H. Freund,
- J. Frost,
- C. Graham,
- I. Graham,
- T. Granleese,
- T. Hunt,
- S. Maseko,
- Z. Old,
- D. Richards,
- M. Spencer,
- O. Temoso,
- A. Walsh,
- W. Whitby,
- M. Woodward.
Goalscorers:
- W. Whitby (5),
- I. Graham (3),
- M. Folpp (2),
- D. Richards.
Award winners:
- T. Hunt (Players' Player),
- J. Freund (Coach's),
- M. Foley (President's),
- T. Granleese (Captain's),
- W. Whitby (Gleeson's).