All praise the name of Edward Victor Mitchell (OM 2003)! A son of former Geelong and Carlton player Chris Mitchell, and brother of James (OM 2001), who starred at the other end of the ground, Ed this week attended the Births Deaths and Marriages office to correct the spelling of his middle name. He is now correctly named Edward Victory Mitchell, for on Saturday he “did a Righetti” [see last year’s last game against Ajax] as with an outstanding individual effort he led the ninth-placed Dark Blues to a devastating after-the-siren victory over fifth-placed St. Kevin’s.

 

A goal in the final minute of the Round 1 game against St. Kevin’s gave the OMs a one point victory. St. Kevin’s came to the Junction Oval seeking revenge. The OMs remained severely undermanned, with a number of key players missing due to long term injuries. However, several handy inclusions were Ed Mitchell and Tim Cudlipp.

 

By the time Lurch arrived at the ground in the first quarter after ditch-digging duties in Templestowe, he found the scoreboard showing a very promising 20-19 start to the OMs, with goals to Davis and new inclusions Ed Mitchell and Cudlipp. Fourteen tackles for the quarter had helped set up the OMs’ lead.

 

The temperature dropped dramatically at the start of the second quarter, but the Dark Blues were running hot. Ned Morrison helped set up Ed for his second goal, and, after an earlier missed opportunity, Hawkins scored from 20m out, directly in front The scores were 32-21 in favour of the OMs. The Skevs responded with the next two goals, but Victory Mitchell stopped the flow with a skilful set shot on goal from the scoreboard boundary line. At the other end of the ground exciting Under-19s player and captain Matt Collister raced alongside his opponent after the footy as it bounced towards the goals, and he miraculously touched it before it crossed the line. Will Kiel pounced on a loose ball to kick a goal which was seen by everyone at the ground – friend and foe alike - but the person who mattered most discounted it by five points on the basis Kiel has red hair.

 

Later in the quarter, Kiel took a heavy hit, and came off the ground with a hamstring injury. He played no further part in the game. A goal to St. Kevin’s saw the Skevs regain the lead, 39-40, but McLardy was having none of that, and stylishly found his way through heavy traffic to goal and regain the lead at half time. Wilmoth and Captain Turner had a big first half, and were in much of the action in the midfield. Twenty three tackles for the quarter played a key role in the Old Melburnians retaining the lead.

 

At half time as the teams returned to the change rooms, a Skevvie was heard to say, “Back to C Grade – soon it’ll be D Grade”. Had they known Ajax similarly taunted the proud Dark Blues during the first quarter of the relegation decider in 2007, and now finds itself in C Grade, they may have remained silent.

 

One-percenters provided the OMs with opportunities. When St. Kevin’s was awarded a penalty, Captain Turner cut it off to give Toby Beaumont (OM 2006) a shot at goal. Whilst the wind picked up and he missed his shot, it was a big quarter for Beaumont. A son of passionate Old Melburnian Peter Beaumont (OM 1965) and a brother of former AFL player Simon Beaumont (OM 1993), Beaumont’s spring-heeled vertical leaping and fantastic marking ability were showcased in this quarter. A great tackle by Tom Bennison, MT (Master of Tackling) got the footy to Beaumont, who this time scored truly.

 

When Collister has the footy, the coaching panel smiles, shakes its collective heads at his confident and mature disposals, and says, “How lucky are we?” Collister ran out of defence, through the centre, hit the forward line, and Hawkins snapped a great goal. The scores were 59-60, but silly mistakes allowed St. Kevin’s to score two goals and take the game’s biggest lead into the last quarter. This gave coaching panel member Erwin Leyden the excuse to give the OMs a trademark spray, which even questioned the toughness of MGS footballers (who are, by the way, still on track to win the 2008 APS premiership).

 

Victory Mitchell scored his fourth goal from a free kick. His fifth goal came from a set shot on the boundary line near the function room. He was incapable of missing. Others, however, were missing, with the final siren approaching, and a nine point deficit remaining. Hawkins’ third goal helped close the gap. A point or two more, and the scores were level. The OMs had the momentum. Would the clock beat them?

 

The OMs kicked the footy out of the centre, towards the grandstand side of the scoreboard end. Ben McKie (OM 2005) chased the loose ball and beat his opponent, and others streaming out from deep in St. Kevin’s defence. He passed to his classmate, Morrison, whose left foot kick hard against the boundary line could all-too-easily have gone out on the full. Victory Mitchell ran like he had never run before, and, at full stretch, falling to the ground, marked the footy. He had to kick from near the boundary, about 50m out. Any score would do. Would the pressure get to him? The siren sounded! The pressure quadrupled. Spectators called for the ball to be punched through, for a rushed point, but that wise old sage, the Redleg, advised only a kick could score after the siren. Mitchell kicked. He scored. Was it only a point? Did St. Kevin’s yet again succumb to a one point loss? That it was a goal was something many only later learned, as all that was important was there was a score – a winning score – and the ecstatic multitudes ran onto the ground to mob Mitchell. A humble man, when the mob left him, he sank to his haunches and attempted to regain his composure in time to join in a very vigorous rendition of the OMFC’s song.

 

It remains only to mention Lewis Daniel Haralambous (OM 2006), an Under 19s player who played well in the ruck in his first Senior game, and to thank the coaching panel: our modest coach, his sage advisor, Mick “Rowdy” Carty, his runner, advisor, and player sprayer Erwin Leyden, and former Demon, OMFC legend and premiership player, advisor and rehabilitator Paul “Obie” O’Brien.

 

The OMs return to the Junction Oval to face a struggling Beaumaris, which soundly defeated the OMs in the first half of the season. The OMs have an opportunity to capitalise on their recent form. Get along to support them, and, if you’re lucky, score an autograph from the latest OM saviour.