By Gary Stocks

North Beach sustained its push towards a top-two finish and the opportunity to host a final with a resounding 29-point win over arch rival North Fremantle at Charles Riley Reserve last Saturday.

After taking control in the second quarter, on a day when the elements made slick football difficult, the Beach ensured that it maintained pressure on second-placed University, who unexpectedly fell to Maddington in a two-point thriller.

The Beach controlled the game for the most part and led by 16 points at half-time, defended stoutly in the third term when kicking against the breeze, to turn for home with a nine point cushion. A four-goal last quarter saw the home side secure an important win.

That triumph was moulded by the grunt work of players like Reece Cunningham and Aaron Jarvis, who relished the prevailing conditions, while Jamie Sajich, Mitch Dwyer and Luke Smith were also ubiquitous.

The A-Grade success came after the A-Reserves and Phil Scott Colts had established the winning pattern.

The A-Reserves produced arguably their most complete four-quarter team performance of the year in carving out a 47-point win over the ladder leader.

A brilliant opening quarter with the breeze ensured the Maggies were playing catch-up football all day and with the likes of Mitch Holbrook, Scott Holbrook and Chris Perkin leading through experience a few of the younger players followed.

Josh Stott, Rob McComiskie and Matt Power all excelled, with the Beach never really threatened.

The Phil Scott Colts also established an early superiority and never surrendered that advantage on the way to an emphatic 48-point win. Given the log-jam in the middle of the table, the colts could not afford a hiccup and played some quality team football.

James Foley and Terry O’Brien, recently elevated from the Brett Jones Division, relished their opportunities and played strong hands.

Up forward the defensive effort was more intense than it had been the previous week and that created goal-scoring chances, which Mark Foreman, Chris Mead and Sam Waymouth were only too keen to capitalise upon.

Shane Fullwood maintained his rich vein of form while Mitch Christie and Jordan Kickett were also effective.

The Brett Jones Colts secured a finals position with a 45-point win over Wanneroo.

Adam Miotti, in his return from a long-term injury, kicked four goals to provide the polish to a midfield that dominated through the likes of Riley Carter, Mitch Clark and Tim Grapiglia.

James Cusack also worked tirelessly in the ruck while Dave Dillon was outstanding in defence.

Unfortunately, the three lower grade senior teams were well beaten, with the D1 and D1-Reserves succumbing to the highly rated Fremantle CBC teams while the E2 division was out-pointed by Melville.

All teams were competitive without winning and will be looking to get back on the winners’ list this week.     

A-Grade
North Beach       1.1         4.8         6.11       10.13     73
North Frem         2.3         2.4         5.8            6.8      44
Goals – North Beach: Leishman 3; Potts 2; McGinnity, Smith, Cunningham, Wilson, Harwood 1.
Best – North Beach: Cunningham, Jarvis, Sajich, Dwyer, Smith.

A-Reserves
North Beach       4.1         5.2         9.9         11.11     77
North Frem         0.2         3.2         3.3           4.6       30
Goals – North Beach: M Holbrook 4; Stott 2; Welsh, Perkin, Power, Fishlock, Clarke 1.
Best – North Beach: Power, Stott, M Holbrook, R McComiskie, S Holbrook.

D1-Grade
Fremantle CBC   4.5         9.7         13.11     14.14     98
North Beach       2.1         5.1           6.1         8.5       53
Goals – North Beach: Keeley 3; Sharrinovski, McEvoy, Piggott, Barber, Billi 1.
Best – North Beach: Sharrinovski, Rhatigan, Halikis, Collins.

D1-Reserves
Fremantle CBC 6.9 (45) def North Beach 4.7 (31)

E2
Melville 8.14 (62) def North Beach 6.10 (46)

Phil Scott Colts
North Beach       3.2         5.6         8.10       11.13     79
North Frem         1.1         2.1         4.5           4.7      31
Goals – North Beach: Foreman, Mead, O’Brien, Waymouth 2; Foley, Fullwood, Kickett 1.
Best – North Beach: Foley, Fullwood, Kickett, Christie, O’Brien, Waymouth.

Brett Jones Colts
North Beach       3.0         6.3         9.4         13.4       82
Wanneroo           1.2         2.3         3.4         5.7        37
Goals – North Beach: Miotti 4; Retamal, Perris 2; Grapiglia, Gomer, Cusack, R Carter, Jackson 1.
Best – North Beach: Dillon, Clarke, R Carter, Miotti, Cusack.