TIGERS STUMBLE OVER THE MAGPIES
BOTH Glenelg coach Mark Mickan and Port Adelaide counterpart Tony Bamford were left to rue missed opportunities after the Tigers' win today.
The difference was that one team got away with it.
Glenelg's 13.8 (86) to 11.11 (77) victory was hardly one for the time capsule, although given the cold and windy conditions the match was never likely to be a shining example of free-flowing football.
The Tigers led for the vast majority of the game and looked to have the two points on a platter when Mark Ruwoldt kicked the first goal of the last quarter to extend the margin to more than five majors.
But the Magpies rattled home in unlikely fashion, eventually booting 3.8 for the final term. A late goal to Cameron Cloke cut the gap to nine points and left an exasperated Bamford pondering what might have been.
"In no way do we go home tonight happy that we got close to them, a clearly frustrated Bamford explained.
"We lost that game and we should have won it. There is nothing wrong with our intensity, it's just our decision making at crucial times and ability to capitalise when we need to.
In the neighbouring Glenelg changerooms, Mickan was also pondering opportunities squandered. Only the Tigers' came mostly in a first quarter in which the home side generated plenty of run and carry through the corridor but was highly wasteful entering the forward 50m.
"We were very fortunate they didn't kick 8.3 in the last quarter instead of 3.8, Mickan said.
"We had 16 inside 50s in the first quarter but we just didn't use them very well. Too many times we kicked the ball into the forward line without thinking it through.
