PORT Macquarie Magpies ensured Luke Long celebrated his 200th game in style as they registered a 4.14 (38) to 3.7 (25) win over Ballina Bombers.
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The result could have been more comprehensive although the Magpies didn’t kick a goal for the best part of three quarters.
In a contest which had a distinct finals feel to it, the Pies led at every change on the way to the 13-point win.
Goals to Angus Scott, Luke Boxhall, Luke Twynstra and Adam Mannes ensured they remained top of the AFL North Coast ladder.
They bounced back from last week’s 11-point loss to Sawtell when inaccurate kicking also cost them dearly.
At Wayne Richards Park, inaccurate kicking again reared its head and the Bombers were well in the match in the last quarter.
With a howling breeze at their back the Magpies were nervous.
Port Macquarie captain Jesse Schmidt said the low score was due to the high intensity on show between two sides who were evenly matched.
“We were making twice as many tackles as we normally would,” he said.
“It mightn’t be overly pretty, but it’s been effective.”
Schmidt said they would need to work on their goal kicking accuracy after kicking 30 behinds in two weeks.
“I kicked five or six points myself and we did miss plenty of set shots; they weren’t all snaps on the run or anything like that,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure, but we didn’t convert.”
Schmidt said Long’s performance was typical of the way he played his footy.
“He did all the tough things, got the hard ball and Ben Manton, Max Lower and Scott Dalton were standouts.”
The captain said Lower has been a much improved performer for the Magpies over the last fortnight.
“He always stands up, takes on an attacker and frees his arms,” he said.
“He’s been best on ground the last two weeks for us.”
It mightn’t be overly pretty, but it’s been effective.
- Port Macquarie Magpies captain Jesse Schmidt