The Rock-Yerong Creek delivered an against-the-odds comeback at Ariah Park on Saturday, for a thrilling two-point win over the Northern Jets.
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But their get-out-of-jail fourth quarter didn’t come free, with forward Dale Hugo reported for front-on contact on Jayden McLean in the third quarter.
With Hugo red-carded, the Pies were down a man until five minutes into the fourth quarter, but still overcame a four-goal deficit to win 8.13 (61) to 9.5 (59).
Their excitement was tempered by the Hugo report for his bump on McLean when the Jets backman had his head over the ball.
Suspended for 13 weeks throughout his career (the last a two-week ban in early 2014) Hugo is perilously close to the 16-games mark that sparks deregistration.
“It was two blokes going for the ball in a good, hard contest and obviously (McLean) got injured,” TRYC coach Tom Yates said.
“He came back on though. But we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
A man short for 15 minutes and without a bench in the last quarter, TRYC still managed to climb off the canvas.
“It was a really gutsy win,” Yates said.
“We were down all day except the last quarter. But we switched on, the pressure lifted and we started playing the way we want to play.”
The Pies kicked the first three goals after three-quarter-time to hit the front and held the Jets out.
“In the last five minutes there was some solid backs by our defenders when the ball was coming in,” Yates said, praising Sam Durnan and Michael Coombes.
Rising Jets star Jeromy Lucas had been TRYC’s biggest headache early, kicking five goals in the first half before Tim Sullivan closed him down.
Coming off the bye, Yates said his side took too long to switch on against the quick and dangerous Jets.
In the end it was his opposite, Mitch Robinson, counting the cost of one that got away, as they slipped outside the five on percentage.
“We probably learnt a hard lesson against that 10 minute lapses will come back to bit you,” Robinson said.
“We have such a young side and when we play our best footy and use the ball right we can be as damaging as any other team but it’s the lapses costing us.”
Midfielder Andrew Saddler lifted the Pies when they needed it and ruckman Lachie Hunter was strong.
Lucas stood out for the Jets while the reliable Sam Fisher and Mitch Haddrill were both a handful again.