2025 ROUND 7 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT
Round 7, Saturday 24 May 2025
Hampton Rovers FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Boss James Reserve, Hampton
1st quarter: OMFC 5.6.36 HRFC 1.2.8
2nd quarter: OMFC 5.10.40 HRFC 4.3.27
3rd quarter: OMFC 8.16.64 HRFC 5.4.34
4th quarter: OMFC 11.18.84 HRFC 6.6.42
Goals: Lachie Haysman (2), Adam Richardson (2), Campbell Rose (2), Albert Brown (1), Oscar Hanisch, Ben Jackson (1), Matthew Payne (1), Arthur Rush (1).
Best players: Nicky Christian, Jeremy a’Beckett, Jack Spargo, Ben Haysman, Chris Long, Campbell Rose.
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Albert Brown (29), Nicky Christian (21), Leo Curtis (88), Charlie Dowling (25), Tom Gleeson (61), Oscar Hanisch (27), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Ben Jackson (54), Sam Laube (20), Chris Long (11), Ned Nichols (3), Will Nichols (Captain, 1), Jackson Paine (39), Matthew Payne (6), Adam Richardson (17), Campbell Rose (31), Arthur Rush (7), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (37) and Ollie Tyrer (32).
Match Report
The OMs welcomed Ben Jackson and Ollie Tyrer who replaced Lachie Templeton and Gus Williams.
The Old Melburnians (eighth, two wins) came up against Hampton (bottom, no wins) in what was probably their first clash since about 2008. Hampton’s newly refurbished pavilion was opened late last year for the great occasion. The expense was worth it, as the hotdogs were sublime, with the quality toasted hotdog rolls making them the season’s best to date – although it took four of them to be sure that the first three weren’t just flukes.
Autumn weather returned after last week’s wintry game. It was a dry day with sporadic sunshine. Although the game was played in temperatures of 17 to 18 degrees, it felt like 10 to 11 degrees due to the constant blustery north-north-westerly and occasionally northerly winds of 26 to 33km/h with gusts between 37 and 54km/h, making it the season’s windiest game yet.
The Dark Blues were quickly on the board when a free kick to Adam Richardson gave him a set shot from the southwest with the wind and a goal with 1:37 on the clock. After a couple of OM misses, from a stoppage in the southwest near the intersection of the boundary and the arc, Lachie Haysman swung around, threw the footy on his boot, sending the footy on a big, swinging arc that looked very unlikely to cut back far enough to score a goal – and yet that’s exactly what his utterly amazing kick did. OM supporters were in raptures. It was 0-14 at the six-minute mark. Play went both ways, although the OMs were dominating, with Hampton only managing a behind. It was the most contested game the OMs have had to play for a while, with most recent games being quite free-flowing affairs.
Campbell Rose, in his second Senior game, had a set shot from just inside the intersection of the SE boundary line and the arc. It started long, high and straight and then bent left to go through for a memorable first Senior goal that again had supporters and teammates in raptures. It may just be possible that the wind blew the footy through the goal at the right moment…. His goal made it 1-21 at the 17-minute mark. Three minutes later Matt Payne streamed forward to beautifully hit up Rose inside the top of the arc, and he showed the first was no fluke by nailing his second Senior goal. It looked like he could be a one-man wrecking ball when he marked about 20m out almost directly in front, but he suffered from the forwards’ curse of recent successes generating overconfidence, and he missed the easiest of his three kicks.
Arthur Rush marked in a similar position and did the same thing. When the OMs next charged into attack, the loose ball was bouncing out in front and Oscar Hanisch ran onto it, gathering it quickly and snapped from the southeast for a classy opportunistic goal at the 27-minute mark. At the end of the quarter, the OMs had made a good start and looked set to have a big day out, although they had to rue some missed opportunities, given their domination of the quarter.
The second quarter was one best forgotten. Hampton was first out of the middle, with the wind, but the OMs dominated the first 10 minutes of play – during which they only had two shots at goal, which both missed. Hampton was so completely shut down that its first score came when it ran into an open goal at the 13-minute mark. It added another three minutes later, dominating the play, and scored truly to make it 20-38 at the 20-minute mark, goaling again nine minutes later. It was a goalless quarter for the OMs – and not for lack of opportunities, as four misses registered on the scoreboard. The OMs were scrappy and sloppy – and fortunate that the damage was not worse.
In the third quarter the OMs had the wind for the last time and had to ram home their advantage. They won the centre bounce and set up Jackson Paine, whose set shot missed in very windy conditions. Lachie Haysman snapped from a pack and missed. Play was mostly in the OMs’ half, but Hampton goaled first, at the 11-minute mark. Multiple stoppages in the OM forward line preceded Richo throwing the footy on his boot, directly in front of goal in very congested and contested conditions. His goal at the 16-minute mark was the OMs’ first of the quarter – with the wind – and gave the Dark Blues some breathing space, with a 33-50 lead. Payne had a set shot from the northeast that missed everything, but he soon slotted one from about 15m out. More OM missed followed, Hampton threatened to score, and then Sam Laube got the footy over the top to Ben Jackson, who ran with a Rover on his tail, heading into goal on about a 45-degree angle, and made it 33-64 at the 26-minute mark. Hampton ran into goal and missed, also missing a long attempt at goal after the siren.
Although the game was not in the bag, the OMs’ three-quarter time margin was a reasonable one in the context of the game: they just had to stay switched on to stop Hampton rolling over the top of them with a gale at their backs.
Normally an exceptional set shot, Laube missed everything with a kick from the northeast that also fell short. There was no score by either side for the first 10 minutes of the final quarter until Rush won a free for a high tackle and made the most of his set shot from the northwest about 30-plus metres from goal. At 34-70, the game looked to be the OMs’. Ben Jackson hit up Albert Brown, who marked in the northwest and drilled his set shot from about 20m out to seal the win at the 13-minute mark. With the wind behind it, Hampton’s first score of the quarter was a rushed behind at the 17-minute mark. Ben Jackson ran in towards the open goal square on a tight angle from the northeast and may not have realised he had time, instead kicking it off the side of his boot for a point, about a step before he ran into the goal square from which a goal would have been certain.
The OMs muffed another opportunity to score and then Hampton goaled at the 22-minute mark to make it 42-77. Jackson Paine, on the goal line beside an opponent, was unable to shepherd through an OM goal. Hampton rushed forward and Richo marked in defence. The Rovers started yet another push-and-shove that gave the OMs the benefit of another 50m penalty. Lachie Haysman’s resultant set shot on about a 35-degree angle from the northwest pocket was kicked to perfection and was the game’s last score.
It was the OMs’ first win away from Elsternwick Park this season and its first consecutive win. It was not a high-quality game, with the OMs not playing their best. The OMs’ poor second quarter was all-too familiar. Other Premier B scorelines show inaccuracy was the norm, with the wind clearly a factor, but of those shots that the OMs missed, there were enough straightforward ones to suggest a final margin of around 70 points was a reasonable expectation. That said, any win is welcome, with this being only the OMs’ third in seven games.
Nicky Christian was the OMs’ best player. He played a great defensive running game and he is one of the OMs’ most exciting youngsters who is continually improving.
Jeremy a’Beckett played on a very good player, defended well and then got his own ball. He produced some magical moments.
Jack Spargo continued his outstanding season and led from the front after his captain was injured. He worked well with Ned Nichols.
Ben Haysman narrowly pipped his brother Lachie into a place in the best six. He put in a great effort in his role on the wing and was able to come off it to help both down back and up forward.
Chris Long is another young emerging player. He defended well with very good one-on-ones and was also able to assist teammates.
Campbell Rose didn’t have a great debut game the previous week but in his second Senior game he showed he could meet its demands, putting in a fantastic effort. He was composed, finished well and busted apart some packs.
Due to other results, the OMs remain eighth on the ladder, albeit two games clear of ninth (Fitzroy) and with the second-best percentage in the competition that could propel it up the ladder with even one or two wins. Next week they return home to play Williamstown (fifth, four wins), which had a surprise win last week against Old Carey, above it on the ladder.
See you there.
Lurch.