Woods defeat the Devils

The Blackwood Football Club kicked off Season 2020 in style booting seventeen majors to defeat the Mt Lofty Devils by 65 points. It was the highest score the Woods had kicked since the Elimination Final in 2018 and only the fifth time the Woods have kicked over 100 points since the beginning for the 2018 season.

The Woods selected four players to debut with Joel Aish, Evan Johnson, Issac McCormick and Mat Tee wearing the red and green for the first time. They also welcomed back Daniel Bennetts, James Catford and Jesse Watchman to the line up. Making an immediate impact, Aish kicked the opening goal of the match inside the opening few minutes. Moving the ball down the coaches box wing, Aish received a free kick in the scoreboard pocket.

Pressing hard forward, the Woods got a second major through Tee after he got on the end of a turnover from a Mt Lofty kick out. When Aish got out the back to kick his second major at the 25th minute the Woods extended their lead, much to the displeasure of Mt Lofty coach Scott Masden who let off some verbal expletives on the bench.

The visitors made the better start on the second term kicking the first goal through William Butler courtesy of a dual 50 metre penalty. The Woods got the immediate reply through speed winger Rhys Sporn kicking a nice long snap in front of the crowd. Stepping on the accelerator, the Woods kicked a further five majors for the term with Aish (x2), captain Ryan Dijksman, Evan Johnson and Tee all hitting the scoreboard.

Leading by 43 points at the main break the Woods continued this form in the third term as Aish added to his four first half majors kicking his fifth goal early in the quarter. With Jan Warbout able to give the Woods midfielders first use of the ball from the contest, Blackwood forward line reaped the benefits kicking five straight goals for the term. The large crowd in attendance was buoyant with the performance with Aish quickly becoming a cult figure receiving a large cheer every time he went near the ball. Kicking three more goals during the term he took his tally to eight majors for the game.

Dashing defender Scott Bricknell snuck up the ground early in the final term to hit the scoreboard much to the delight of his team mates. When vice captain Matt Tuck combined with Rhys Sporn from the next centre break, the ball was moved forward to Aish once again who used his body to claim front position and receive a free kick, Kicking straight once again he brought up his ninth goal much to the delight of all players. The Devils gained some much needed respectability to the scoreboard in the later half of the term kicking three goals through Sam Miles and Dougal Grieve to pull the margin back to 65 points when the final siren sounded.

Aish was awarded best player for the Woods for his efforts kicking 9 goals for the match with the last time a Woods player has finished the match with nine or more goals was April 30 2011 (3,353 days ago) when Glenn Draper kicked 10 goals against Torrens Valley. Other players to feature in the better players were Scott Bricknell, Rhys Sporn, Phil Hopton, Matt Tuck and Jan Warbout.