In a game that could have secured a spot in the Northern Football Netball League, NFNL, division three finals, Kilmore was unable to overcome Heidelberg West on Saturday.
The Hawks took a 10-point lead in the first quarter before the home side came out strong in the second term.
With the football remaining in Heidelberg West’s forward line for most of the opening 15 minutes, Kilmore managed to turn the game around, kicking three goals to the Hawks’ two.
The margin just eight points a halftime, the Blues continued their scoreboard pressure, kicking three goals, but a five-goal surge from the Hawks gave them the edge.
A four-goals fourth term to the Blues wasn’t enough, with the final score 12.3 (75) to 14.17 (101).
Kilmore’s head coach Paul Derrick said he told the side to just take the game on in those final 15 minutes.
“We thought we were a good chance at three quarter time but once it hit that final 15-minute mark and that gap was still about three goals we just had to try take it on and try to win the game. Unfortunately that didn’t happen,” he said.
Derrick said it was a tough, physical game of football.
“We did play some good footy, it was just some moments where we lost focus, which cost us again but Heidelberg West are a good side,” he said.
“It was like a mini final, especially since our season was on the line and theirs probably was as well.
“Some of our ball movement was fantastic, which is what we’ve trained to do and there was a lot more of it, so everything went up a better level than it has been.
“There was a lot of really good stuff [but] just little moments where our ball movements hurt us and our decision making hurt us unfortunately.”
Some of Kilmore’s young guns had great games with 16-year-old Benjamin Doyle kicking two goals in his fourth senior game.
“Ben was great and Lachlan Chesher the other kid who’s just come out of 17s played again. He had another really good game,” Derrick said.
Others to perform well were Mitchell Portoglou in fullback, Mick Marrett in the midfield, and half-forwards Aaron Speak and Ethan Derrick.
The Blues face Mernda at home on Saturday.
