Darley’s Travis Minns looks to evade his opponent.
A SIX goal to one first half helped Sunbury to overcome a persistent Darley by 54 points at Darley Park on Saturday.
The eastern Lions pressured the Devils into a series of mistakes in the first half, dominating the inside-50s, before Darley mounted a second-half comeback.
The visitors then steadied to record their third win of the season.
“It was pleasing that, when something is not going right, we can talk about it and then implement it,” said Sunbury coach Rick Horwood.
Sunbury opened the stronger of the two sides with Dale Ciunik managing to slot the first goal of the game, and managing to add two more majors for his side in the first term.
Ross Sleight and Jamie Lobb joined Cuinik on the goal kickers list, before former AFL player Marty Pask kicked Darley’s only goal for the first half.
The second term was scrappy, with only one goal kicked between the two sides, courtesy of Jamie Lobb. The intensity of both sides lifted in the second term, but the unpredictable weather conditions made it difficult to score with any fluency.
The second half began with Xavier Linton extending the Sunbury lead beyond seven goals, but the Devils showed some fight with consecutive goals to Darren Leonard and majors to Dane Grenfell and Brad Inglis.
An important goal to Sunbury restored the lead to 25 points, but some clever body work from Dane Grenfell allowed Marty Pask to snap truly to keep the Devils well in the hunt, 24 points behind at three quarter time.
The all important first goal of the final term was kicked by Sunbury’s Xavier Linton. The Lions then put the game beyond doubt kicking the next two goals courtesy of Matthew Baird and Jamie Lobb, while down the other end the steadfast defence of Alan O’Connor and Brett Chambers managed to keep the Darley forward line relatively quiet.
Sunbury 14.13 (97)
Darley 6.7 (43)