Dole goal sinks Gisborne

Gisborne led the Dragons by one point in the final minute before Dole earned a free kick for a brilliant tackle.

His set shot from 30m out on a 50 degree angle in the South Bendigo social rooms pocket sailed straight through the middle to give the Dragons a five-point lead.

Gisborne won the resulting centre clearance but the Sandhurst defence locked the ball up and the final siren sounded.

The Bulldogs players fell to the ground in despair, while the Dragons celebrated a 13.14 (92) to 13.9 (87) win.

“I was standing right behind Mitch’s kick and I was willing it to go through,’’ a jubilant Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick said.

“It was a fantastic game of finals football and lucky enough we were in front at the siren.”

However, the win came at heavy cost for the Dragons.

Star ruckman Tim Martin (ankle) and inter-league midfielder Nick Stagg (shoulder) are highly unlikely to be fit for the grand final against Strathfieldsaye.

“Unfortunately, it looks like they’ll both miss the grand final,’’ Fitzpatrick said.

“When you’re coming up against Strathfieldsaye the last thing you want is injuries to your two inter-league players.”

Martin injured his ankle in the dying minutes of the game, while Stagg’s shoulder injury in the third term somewhat strangely sparked a Sandhurst revival.

Gisborne looked to hold all the aces when Stagg was helped off the ground midway through the third quarter.

The Bulldogs had all the momentum, a nine-point lead and Stagg’s absence from the midfield for the rest of the game looked set to hinder the Dragons’ ability to run the game out.

It wasn’t the case. Sparked by full-forward Ryan Haythorpe, Sandhurst kicked 4.4 to 1.0 in the final 13 minutes of the third quarter to grab a 13-point lead at the final change.

 Gisborne wasn’t going to bow out without a fight and the Bulldogs turned the game on its head in the first 15 minutes of the final quarter.

Hamish Govan bounced through a goal from 50m out, skipper Casey Summerfield goaled on the run and when Isaac Trickey calmly kicked truly from the scoreboard pocket, the Bulldogs were back in front.

Their lead stretched to nine points with seven minutes remaining after Pat McKenna, who had been outstanding all night, showed poise to goal on the run from 40m out.

The teams traded goals through Haythorpe and Ethan Minns and the Bulldogs still led by seven points with less than three minutes on the clock.

A crucial turnover by Gisborne in the middle of the ground changed the momentum of the game.

The Dragons swept the ball forward and teenager Tom Broadbent ran in and kicked the biggest goal of his career from 35m out.

The Dragons had two minutes left to kick a goal or at least force a draw.

After Martin was helped off the ground with his ankle injury, the Dragons forced the ball inside 50.

The Gisborne defence held up strongly and looked set to clear the ball until Dole’s chase and tackle earned a free kick.

The Dragons’ goal kicking skills have been unreliable at best this season, with Dole one of the major culprits.

This time, with his club’s season on the line, Dole delivered.

Haythorpe with five goals, including four in the second half, and Dole with three goals, were Sandhurst’s most influential players.

Codie Price gave the Dragons plenty of run off half-back.

Skipper Blair Holmes was a late withdrawal because of hamstring soreness, but he is expected to play in the grand final.

Gisborne’s teen brigade was outstanding.

On the big stage in a cut-throat final they showed up some of their more experienced players.

McKenna dominated as a loose man in defence in the first term before drifting forward and creating headaches.

Isaac Trickey capped a superb rookie season with another final performance. Minns was lively in attack, kicking three goals and Riley Patterson impressed on a wing.