By Lauren Wood, Williamstown Media
Facing a Sandringham side sitting second-last on the ladder, the contest loomed as a potential mismatch on paper. But footy rarely follows the script.
Despite the Gulls riding high on a five-game winning streak and making just one change — Lucas Impey coming in to help shoulder some ruck duties with Tom Downie — the visitors made it clear early that they came to play.
An early free kick handed Sandringham the first inside 50, and they capitalised within the opening minute with a steady set shot.
It wasn’t until the 11-minute mark that Williamstown found their first score, when Heath Ollington slotted his eighth goal from nine games this season via a 30-metre set shot.
The Seagulls soon began to click. A clean passage of five consecutive marks down the ground ended with Damon Hollow calmly converting from nearly the same spot, and soon after, a coast-to-coast play saw Lachie Gollant take a stunning mark followed by a commando roll — a moment that had the home crowd on their feet.
Williamstown held an 11-point buffer at quarter time, dominating the marks stat 32 to 13.
If the Zebras opened the first term sharply, the Gulls returned the favour in the second.
Brodie McLaughlin, already having warmed up with two in the first, nailed a set shot from the arc, followed by another minutes later, and then capped off the quarter with a superb snap from the pocket for his fifth before halftime.
Sandringham’s height began to tell late in the second, with their ruckman taking a towering contested grab over Downie and finishing truly.
Still, Williamstown entered their home rooms with a commanding 58-30 lead. Despite quiet halves from the likes of Pritchard and Impey (two disposals each), McLaughlin’s five goals stood tall.
The third quarter tested the Seagulls. Four unanswered goals from the Zebras sliced the margin, and suddenly, the game was alive. But the Gulls found answers.
A burst of pace from Noah Gadsby and Jack McHale set up Ollington for his second, and Toby Triffett’s second-effort recovery after his kick through the middle was deflected paved the way for Hollow to slot his second.
Tom Mundy’s forward-half pressure was rewarded when Nick Ebinger converted, and Williamstown regained a comfortable 26-point lead by the final break. But there was still drama to unfold.
Sandringham pounced on a defensive turnover five minutes into the last term, converting from the top of the 50-metre mark.
Two more Zebra goals suddenly made it a one-goal game. With both sides trading majors late, Williamstown’s supporters were made to sweat — particularly as Sandringham slotted two more goals after the 30-minute mark.
In the end, the Seagulls escaped with an 11-point win in what proved to be a far tighter battle than supporters expected.
Joel Fitzgerald (30 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles) and Hugo Hall-Kahan (also 30 disposals) led the charge, while Triffett topped the clearance count with 10.
Riley Collier-Dawkins also starred with a powerful 15 contested possessions.
Williamstown’s largest lead of the day — 34 points in the second term — suggested dominance, but post-match there were fewer signs of celebration than usual considering the late comeback from the Zebras.
With Port Melbourne awaiting this Saturday at ETU Stadium, the Gulls will be hoping for a sharper four-quarter showing to reinforce their credentials for finals.
Final Score:
WILLIAMSTOWN: 5.1 | 9.4 | 13.6 | 17.7 (109)
SANDRINGHAM: 3.2 | 4.6 | 8.10 | 14.14 (98)
Best Players: McLaughlin, Fitzgerald, Hall-kahan, Collier-Dawkins, Ebinger, Ollington
Goal Kickers: McLaughlin (7), Ollington (2), Hollow (2), Gollant (2), Ebinger (2), Colenso (2)
