By Jason Barbin
@JBarbin10
Chelsea Heights 10.11 (71) def Murrumbeena 8.10 (58)
It took one last surge in the final quarter to do it, but Chelsea Heights was crowned premiers in Division 2, overcoming a gallant Murrumbeena outfit by 13 points.
After a strong start to the game, the Heighters trailed for much of the second and third quarters of the clash, down by seven points at the final change, before coming home with a wet sail.
Chelsea Heights, led by Meneilly medallist Matt Baxter, booted three goals to just three behinds in the final term to lift itself to premiership glory.
Baxter was inspirational for the premiers throughout the afternoon, putting his body on the line, while receiving support from the likes of Luke Behin and Nathan Herrington.
Phil Smith did what he does best and was a force inside 50, booting five goals while Luke Newton was also impressive with two goals.
Both Newton and Smith had their impacts felt early in the contest, both getting on the scoreboard early as Chelsea Heights kicked the first two goals of the game, before Smith’s second became the Heighters' third unanswered.
Murrumbeena soon responded however, booting two straight goals prior to the first break to trail by just eight points.
Momentum carried forward for the Beena at the beginning of the second half, as they piled on another three unanswered goals to lead by 15 points, and they begun to look in control.
Newton came up big for the Heighters late however, booting his second late in the half to reduce the margin to nine by half time.
The second half started with Murrumbeena again resuming control, booting the first two goals to increase the margin to 21 points.
That’s when Smith again came to life for Chelsea Heights, booting three of the next four goals of the game to drop the margin back to seven points by the final break.
The course of the game shifted in the final term when Chelsea Heights began to make the most of its opportunities and swing the momentum its way.
Lachlan Dobson started with his first goal to get his side back to within one at the beginning of the term, before Phil Matheson goaled shortly after to put Chelsea Heights back in front for the first time since the second term.
A third Chelsea Heights goal in the quarter, this time from Jordan Peryman, was enough to seal the deal as Murrumbeena struggled to convert its chances, as the Heighters took home a 13-point win when the final siren sounded.
Midfield jets Liam Wilson and Jake Semmel were listed as the best for Murrumbeena, while Alaster Bradley booted four goals.
[caption id="attachment_16369" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Coach Brad Canavan and Captain Phil Smith hoist the 2017 premiership cup.[/caption]
