Football: Lions repeat Hawk shock

Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault confirmed its status as Augusta-Margaret River’s bogey team on Saturday, upsetting the Hawks by nine points at Gloucester Park.

The Lions notched up only their second win of the season, again felling the Hawks to prove their round four result was no fluke.

Lion Christopher Buchanan swooped on an errant clearance by the Hawks to notch up the first goal of the game, but the home team hit back with two majors to star 2013 recruit Brandon Franz.

Hawks’ coach Tim Noakes extended the lead with a pinpoint kick, but HBL responded through Ethan Hughes to reduce the deficit to 12 points by quarter-time.

Early goals to Chris Strano and Logan Hughes had the Lions clipping at AMR’s heels in the second quarter until the home team booted back-to-back goals through Noakes and Justin Simmonds to lead by 11 points at half-time.

Goals to 201-gamer Morgan, Noakes and Aaron Baker appeared to foreshadow a comfortable Hawks’ win, but Jamahl Mulholland inspired his Lion teammates with a strong mark and goal to give the visitors a sniff.

Strano kicked two goals in the dying minutes of the third term to reduce the Lions’ deficit to just 10 points with a quarter to play.

HBL squandered three opportunities at the start of the final quarter before Noakes fumbled a loose ball inside the 10m square, allowing the Lions to rush a behind.

Goals from Cameron Bennell and Strano gifted the Lions their first lead of the game before Cameron Hay drove the nail into the coffin with the final goal to help the Lions to an 11.10 (76) to 10.7 (67) win to climb off the bottom.

AMR could have more headaches after Noakes was reported for abusive language after the match.

Scoreboard

Harv-Bruns-Lesch 2.2 4.6 8.7 11.10 76 def Aug-Marg River 4.2 6.5 10.5 10.7 67

Goals:

HBL — C. Strano 4, C. Hay, B. Strano, C. Buchanan, E. Hughes, D. Kerr, C. Bennell, J. Mulholland.

AMR — T. Noakes 3, B. Franz 2, J. Morgan, L. Durack, B. Noakes, B. Gerrans, J. Simmonds.

Best:

HBL — E. Hughes, G. Crosby, A. Soulas, J. Mulholland, N. Hearle, C. Strano. AMR — B. Franz, P. Travers, T. Noakes, C. Enders, J. Humm, B. Noakes.