After a less than ideal start to the Northern Football League division 2 season, Thomastown is hoping its first win will kick start the year.
The Bears started the season 0-5 as it was hit with a raft of injuries which unsettled the side.
With many of those players returning on Saturday, the Bears were able to get the job done against a Watsonia side that also entered the match winless.
Bears co-coach Sash Spiroski said it was a much better weekend for his side.
“The start we had hasn’t been ideal so to get that first one is a bit of a relief,” he said. “It’s reward for the boys’ efforts the last couple of weeks.”
Spiroski said the biggest thing for the side in the opening round had been the side’s inability to play four quarters.
He said they had been in games but hadn’t been able to convert when they had gained momentum.
“Some of our most experienced players haven’t been out there,” he said. “We’ve played 36 players in the first six weeks.
“There’s been a lot of change and we’ve been missing experience and that doesn’t help out on the field when there’s momentum takes over.
“They can stand up and ride the ship on the field.”
Spiroski said Saturday’s match was the first time for the season that they had been able to make changes on form, not just forced due to injury.
He said they were hoping to get a few more players back in the next few weeks.
On Saturday, the Bears got the win, 16.15 (111)-12.4 (76).
Spiroski said getting off to a good start was important and they did just as they kicked goals late in the first quarter to lead by 14 points at the first break.
“From there we controlled the match,” he said. “They kicked four goals just before three quarter time but we will had a six goal lead.
“We were able to kill the game off in the last quarter and it got super scrappy. We played some good football for three and half quarters.
James Lucente kicked six goals for the Bears and was one of their best.
Spiroski said he had been doing a lot of things really good defensively without getting the reward on the scoreboard.
Blake Ross, Ross Hatzis and Michael Tabacco were other standouts on Saturday.
The Bears now face St Mary’s on Saturday. St Mary’s is coming off a win against Northcote Park.
Spiroski said they’d had some ripping games against them the past few years.
“Hopefully we can carry the momentum over from last week and put into practice on Saturday.
