Falcons Swoop Late to Defeat Tigers

Claremont (Reserves) has lost its second game in six days by a single-figure margin after the Tigers were defeated by West Perth in the final minute of play at the Show Grounds.

Despite leading by four points late in the match, a second goal to Falcon Brayden Antonio in the dying stages condemned the Tigers to a three-point loss, 14.5 (89) to 13.14 (92).

The narrow defeat sees the Tigers slip to a 2-4 record after six games, and was compounded by the fact that the side let victory slip from its fingertips after a lack of composure in the moments before the final siren.

On a day where the football was shared between a number of players, Shane McAdam was a constant threat to the Falcons’ defence, while Keegan Knott, Sam Bevan, Lawrence Evans and Alex Manuel each kicked two goals.

From the side who lost to Peel Thunder in round six, Francis Watson (League), Mark Seaby (League), Ben Hitchcock, Peadar Burke and Mark Mullally made way for John Williams, Matthew Palfrey, Knott, Jack Richardson and Max Bentley.

With Isaac Baum skippering the side and Peter Mark starting the game in the ruck, the Tigers kicked the first goal at the seven-minute mark after Reece Maxwell was the beneficiary of a 50m penalty.

Some indecisive and sloppy play from both sides then engulfed the next nine minutes, before Tim Sutherland kicked the Falcons’ first major and reduced the Tigers’ lead to four points at the 16-minute mark of the opening term.

A goal to Knott followed a neat transition from the Claremont defence, and when McAdam soccered through the Tigers’ third goal from close range the hosts’ lead was out to 16 points at the 22-minute mark.

However, late goals to Antonio and Joseph Morrow for the Falcons trimmed the Tigers’ lead to three points at quarter-time.

Coach Brad Trpchev implored his troops to switch the play in order to find more space to take the game on, and when the returning Williams wobbled through a goal at the four-minute mark of the second term, the Tigers were out to an eight-point lead.

That lead was extended to 14 points when Evans kicked truly after a high leap and mark in the goal square, before Morrow snapped his second goal to reduce the margin back to eight points.

When Evans kicked into space and allowed Richardson to run into an open goal the Tigers regained their 14-point lead once again, before majors to Martin Geraghty and Tyson Moulton saw the Falcons trailing by two points at the 14-minute mark.

A goal to Manuel five minutes later saw the Tigers out to a seven-point lead, before majors to Ben McGillivray and Hayden Yarran gave the Falcons a seven-point lead at the 25-minute mark.

In what was a fitting finale to a pulsating second term, a late snap to Sam Bevan saw the Tigers head into the long break trailing the Falcons by one point, in what was quickly becoming a shootout that you could not take your eyes off.

When Michael Ashfield kicked his first goal at the seven-minute mark of the third term the Falcons regained their seven-point lead, however, a great effort from a tight angle to Bentley after being found by Richardson had the Tigers within two points at the 15-minute mark.

A second major to Moulton five minutes later saw the Falcons take a nine-point lead, before Palfrey kicked truly fresh off his League debut a week earlier to respond for the Tigers.

A second goal to Evans at the 28-minute mark resulted from some more fine work by the ever-impressive McAdam, and handed the Tigers a one-point lead at the final change.

McAdam’s fine display thus far was not lost on Trpchev at three-quarter time as the first-year coach highlighted the forward’s efforts to the playing group, before encouraging his troops to keep their energy levels up and finish the game strongly.

A second major to Knott at the four-minute mark of the final term saw the Tigers regain the lead, before a brain-fade by the faultless McAdam to date saw the Tiger kick the ball forward for the Falcons where Marc Crisp would goal and hand the visitors the lead once more.

Second goals to Manuel and Bevan then handed the Tigers an 11-point lead at the 15-minute mark, before Steven Potente kept the Falcons in touch after kicking truly three minutes later.

With fatigue and perceived pressure playing a major role in the latter stages, the Falcons won a free kick 50m out from goal, before Antonio kicked truly on the run to leave the Tigers ruing what should’ve been a tight win.

The Tigers will now turn their attention to Swan Districts at the Show Grounds in round eight as the side looks to respond after consecutive defeats.

CLAREMONT 3.5 8.5 11.5 14.5 (89)

WEST PERTH 3.2 8.6 10.10 13.14 (92)

GOALS

CLAREMONT: 2 A. MANUEL, S. BEVAN, L. EVANS, K. KNOTT, 1 S. MCADAM, M. PALFREY, M. BENTLEY, J. RICHARDSON, R. MAXWELL, J. WILLIAMS

WEST PERTH: 2 T. MOULTON, B. ANTONIO, J. MORROW, 1 S. POTENTE, M. ASHFIELD, T. SUTHERLAND, M. GERAGHTY, B. MCGILLIVRAY, H. YARRAN, M.C RISP

BEST

CLAREMONT: S. MCADAM, M. BENTLEY, A. MANUEL, M. PALFREY, J. WILLIAMS

WEST PERTH: B. WILHELM, K. FULLGRABE, S. POTENTE,