VFL Rivalry Round saw one of the competition’s strongest rivalries, that of Sandringham and Port Melbourne, and they fought out a fantastic battle at North Port on Saturday with the home side getting up by a solitary point after snatching the lead in dying moments of the game.
 
Conditions were good for football and Sandy kicked the opening goal but the boys from the Borough were soon on top and looked like taking the game away from the visitors with five unanswered goals before two late goals to the Zebras including one from a free after the siren to Shane Valenti saw them trailing by 12 points at the first break.
 
Port opened the second term strongly but, with Jamar holding sway in the ruck and new skipper Peter Summers together with livewire Valenti and Ezra Poyas leading the way at ground level, Sandringham fought back into the game and took control. Rod Crowe and Nick Sautner were well on top in the key forward positions and the Zebra defence, led by Chris Lamb, Andy Biddlecombe and Matthew Whelan were repelling all attacks.
 
Sandy went into half time leading by a goal but looking well in the ascendency. There was a lot of pushing and shoving as the teams were making their way off the ground at the main break and it threatened to get ugly for a split second but the players eventually dispersed for a well earned break.
 
The third quarter is known as the premiership quarter and while Sandringham held sway for most of this period, its inaccuracy in front of goal ended up costing it dearly. Sautner missed a couple of easy shots but the Zebras seemed to have the game firmly in their control with a nice goal from Tomi Johnston on the run. Sandy had kicked away to lead by 14 points midway through the term and was looking the goods.
 
The turning point however, may well have come when youngster Sam Monaghan picked up a loose ball in the goal square and kicked truly but it was adjudged to have been touched off the boot for a point. Port immediately played on and moved the ball forward for a goal with little pressure and in a matter of seconds. In the context of the game it was a massive goal and it gave the Borough a sniff. As the players went into the final huddle the home side was only 11 points in arrears and still with a chance to win.
 
The Zebras looked well in control in the first half of the final term as the teams went goal for goal and the visitors seemed to be just one goal away from breaking the game open. Unfortunately, they paid a heavy price for some undisciplined acts, gave away a couple of fifty metre penalties and allowed the Borough back into the game. During this frenetic period, Sautner was reported for allegedly charging an opponent.
 
With Stef Martin required on the ball late in the game, the Port forwards were able to take some strong marks and they capitalised kicking two late goals to hit the front in the time on period. The final two or three nerve wracking moments passed with both sides desperately trying to penetrate their half forward lines but to no avail as far as the Zebras were concerned and the siren sounded to give Port the narrowest of victories in a game fittingly described as the best of the VFL’s rivalry round.
 
After two rounds the competition is tightly bunched and the club will be desperate to atone for the disappointment of Saturday’s narrow loss as it takes on another rival from the other side of the bay in Frankston next Sunday at the Trevor Barker Beach Road Oval.
 
Port Melbourne:  6.2.38  -  9.4.58  -  13.5.83  -  17.7.109
Sandringham:  4.1.25  -  10.4.64  -  14.10.94  -  16.12.108
 
Goals
Port Melbourne: Bonaddio Cotchett 3 Cain 2 Dalton  Fanning Nahas Pearce Pinwill Pitt Robbins Smith Spriggs
 
Sandringham: Sautner 4 Valenti 3 Crowe Poyas 2 Jamar T Johnston Monaghan Summers Yze
 
Best
Port Melbourne: Baird McMahon McGrath Pinwill McGlynn Bonaddio
Sandringham: Crowe Whelan Valenti Sautner Liddell T Johnston
 
Sandy reserves massacre Port
The young Zebras were too strong, too big, too fast and had the edge in talent in the curtain raiser and had a perfect start to their season with a 110-point victory over the Borough. Demon rookie Trent Zomer booted 7 goals and Stuart Cleeve underlined his improvement with four in a team that was well served by a bevy of midfielders who outran a ragged opposition that managed only one goal after half time.
 
Port Melbourne: 2.2.14  -  3.6.24  -  4.7.31  - 4.10.34
Sandringham: 5.4.34  -  11.8.74  -  14.13.97  -  21.18.144
 
Goals
Port Melbourne: Francis 2 Gilham Sheldon
Sandringham: Zomer 7 Cleeve 4 McConnell Martyn Waller 2 Curcio Lockwood Shakaib Spencer  
 
Best
Port Melbourne: Mullins Hassett deBruin Francis Dillon Martin
Sandringham: Tregear McConnell Cleeve B Liddell Gilchrist Zomer