Bulls too good for Hawks

Harvey Bulls gave their supporters reason to cheer with a hard-fought 19-point win over fellow strugglers Augusta-Margaret River at Harvey Recreation Ground on Sunday.

The Bulls led throughout, but withstood a final quarter charge to beat the Hawks 12.8 (80) to 8.13 (61).

Harvey held a game-high 26 point lead during the third term, and a 20-point advantage at the final break, before the visitors closed to within a point midway through the final quarter.

Depleted by the loss of Maui Murphy to a first quarter injury that he did not return from, Augusta-Margaret River could not run the game out and two crucial late goals from the Bulls’ Toby McNamara sealed his side’s fourth win of the season.

The Bulls’ Mark Dann and the Hawks’ Grant Garstone held their own mini-shootout, with each kicking five goals for the match.

Dann was backing it up after kicking two goals for the Bulls’ reserves on the same afternoon.

Glen Wallam was lively early for the Bulls, kicking the game’s opening goal, but a scrappy first quarter was most notable for a number of easy set shot misses by the visitors that would ultimately cost them.

Plenty of endeavour was being shown by both sides but skill errors continued to hurt as many chances went begging.

Dann kicked the best goal of the half when he converted a downfield free kick from deep in the forward pocket.

Hamish Shepheard showed some poise as the half wore down, producing a couple of long kicks up the middle in a rare show of direct football.

Liam Stephens and Brayden Mann were yellow-carded for a third quarter scuffle as the intensity stepped up a gear.

Wallam and Dann each kicked a handy goal as the Bulls’ midfield began to clean up their delivery, finding time to measure their kicks and honouring the leads of their forwards.

Garstone and Dann turned the final quarter into a shootout, both finishing clinically and taking their goal tallies to five.

Mitch Gerrans and Shepheard each added a major as the margin came back to one point with around 10 minutes to play before the Bulls managed to step up a gear with three late goals.

Scoreboard

Harvey Bulls 2.2 4.5 8.6 12.8 80 def Augusta-Margaret River 1.4 2.7 4.1 8.13 61

Goals:

HARVEY — M. Dann 5, T. McNamara 3, G. Wallam 2, D. Goodman, T. Faranda.

AUGUSTA—MARGARET RIVER — G. Garstone 5, M. Gerrans, H. Shepheard, M. Kevill.

Best:

HARVEY — M. Dann, M.Cherubino, P. Pohlenz-Saw, R. Saylor, T. McNamara, G. Wallam.

AUGUSTA—MARGARET RIVER — G.Garstone, B. Gerrans, M. Kevill, H. Shepheard, S. Wright, J. Morgan.

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