Round 2 Match Report
Round 2, Saturday 25 April 2026
Old Melburnians FC vs Old Ivanhoe Grammarians FC at Elsternwick Park
1st quarter: OMFC 0.2.2 OIGFC 1.1.7
2nd quarter: OMFC 8.5.53 OIGFC 2.3.15
3rd quarter OMFC 9.5.59 OIGFC 7.7.49
4th quarter: OMFC 13.10.88 OIGFC 9.10.64
Goals: Hugo Dale (4), Charlie Boston (3), Jeremy a’Beckett (2), Nicky Christian (1), Sam Connock (1), Lucas Cossettini (1), Matthew Payne (1).
Best players: Hugo Dale, Ned Nichols, Louis Dalgleish, Charlie Boston, Nicky Christian, Will Richards
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Charlie Boston (36), Louis Bunting (27), Andrew Chirnside (86), Nicky Christian (21), Sam Connock (87), Harry Cooper (23), Lucas Cossettini (39). Hugo Dale (15), Louis Dalgleish (13), Will Dethridge (12), Lachie Haysman (9), Hugo Hines (22), Tommy Marriner (31), Ned Nichols (3), Matthew Payne (6), Will Richards (14), Sam Seccull (28), Tom Spargo (1, Captain), Miles Tyrer (17), Olly Williams (18) and Liam Witts (5).
Match Report by Lurch
Spencer Anderson, Charlie Dowling, Ben Jackson, Sam Laube, Charlie Nairn, William Preston and Oliver Tyrer were replaced by Charlie Boston, Louis Bunting, Harry Cooper, Lucas Cossettini, Hugo Hines, Tommy Marriner and Matthew Payne.
Injuries among other reasons resulted in seven changes to the Round 1 team, including the debuts of Louis Bunting, Lucas Cossettini and Tommy Marriner – more on them later.
The weather was quite warm for this time of year, with 24-25 degrees during the game that was said to feel like 18-19 due to the strong northerly wind of 20-32 km/h with gusts of 20-35km/h. The UV was very intense.
The OMs were first out of the centre playing against the wind to the north, but Ivanhoe was first to score, with a behind. The OMs went again, and Nicky Christian worked through heavy traffic, kicked, and hit the top of the right goalpost. Charlie Boston also found his way through traffic in the northwest to stylishly hit up Will Richards, but his set shot missed. Eight minutes in it was 2-1 but then play stopped for six minutes as an Ivanhoe player who had been knocked out cold near the eastern wing was taken from the ground. When play resumed the Dark Blues spent some time forward without scoring, ending with Ivanhoe getting out the back and running in for the game’s first goal at the 20-minute mark. It was 2-7. Sam Connock had a late opportunity to goal in play on an angle from about five metres out but kicked parallel to the goal face. The OMs had defended well against the wind, but in having much more of the ball during the quarter, could have done more with it on the scoreboard.
Once again, the OMs were first out of the middle at the start of the second quarter. Play went both ways until Connock’s attempt to mark at full stretch saw him fall backwards trying to hold onto it, but Charlie Boston pounced on the spilt ball and snapped the goal from less than 10m at the three-minute mark. The OMs won in the middle and Matthew Payne made a very welcome return from injury by snapping for goal as he ran parallel to it just inside the top of the arc, and gave the OMs a goal a minute after the last one. It was 14-7. Boston found himself with the footy in play while standing near the intersection of the southwest boundary line and the arc. Despite oncoming opponents, he looked positively casual and relaxed as he decided to simply throw it on the boot and kick the difficult goal with consummate steeze. If he could bottle that he’d earn a fortune.
The OMs had to fight hard to stave off Ivanhoe for a while until Connock’s short kick found Hugo Dale, who’d enjoyed watching Boston at work and wanted some of that action for himself. His set shot from the northwest was taken with the wind at his back about halfway along the arc, and he slotted the long kick to make it 26-7 at the 11-minute mark. The Hoes, though, responded with a goal from the middle, and followed up with a set shot that resulted in a massive shank from directly in front. The wind got even stronger, and Ivanhoe missed another shot. When the OMs got forward again, Jeremy a’Beckett slotted a nice goal from the southeast. It was 33-14 at the 18-minute mark. Winning again in the middle the OMs hit up Boston in the southwest, from which he snapped long to complete his Holy Trinity of goals a minute after Jez’s. Dale won the hard ball in the southwest and got it to Christian who had all the time in the world to put it through – and did.
Getting the footy out of the centre contest, the OMs hit up Dale, who was too good for his opponent, marking in the southwest and scoring his second with the wind at his back. It was 52-14 at the 25-minute mark. Dale received a free kick for holding but although his set-up for taking the set shot from the southwest looked perfect, he just missed. Ivanhoe missed a shot and the siren ended another 31-minute quarter.
The eight-goal second quarter made exceptionally good use of the wind, which could not be counted on being there again in the fourth quarter. Few opportunities were missed, and it would now come down to blanketing Ivanhoe again as the OMs had done in the first quarter.
As in the previous quarters, the OMs were first out of the centre in the third quarter, but Ivanhoe was first to fire and miss, although it goaled three minutes in. From the other end of the ground it looked like the wind had dropped right off. Ivanhoe hit the goal post but was getting too many looks for comfort. Jez then got the loose ball over to Connock, standing beside the goal square, but he felt the pressure of incoming Hoes and kicked it into the right goal post from point black range. Ivanhoe goaled at the seven-minute mark and after the OMs briefly attacked without scoring, Ivanhoe easily ran into an open goal. Although the OMs got forward, they could not get a shot at goal, after which Ivanhoe missed a set shot but goaled two minutes later.
Finally, Andrew Chirnside hit up Lucas Cossettini, who took a nice mark and made his debut memorable with a set shot goal. It was 59-43 at the 23-minute mark but Ivanhoe goaled from the centre two minutes later. Players were beginning to cramp late in the quarter, which ended with the OMs only 10 points ahead, but with the wind in the last quarter.
The wind seemed as strong as ever at the start of the last quarter. First into attack were the Dark Blues, with Jez taking a quality overhead mark, grabbing the footy at its highest point, then goaling from the southeast with one minute elapsed. The footy gods finally smiled on Connock, who marked and slotted a set shot goal at the eight-minute mark to increase the lead to 72-50. Play stopped as another injured Ivanhoe player was helped off the ground – this one fortunately under his own steam. A chain of OM possessions ended with Louis Bunting’s second goal assist of the day as he kicked over the top to Dale, who slotted a difficult kick taken about two metres from the left goal post. At 78-50, 14 minutes in, it did not yet feel like the game was won.
Play raged both ways before Boston set up Dale, who had to beat his opponent to the loose ball to the right of the goal square, getting there first and scoring a great goal. It was 84-50 at the 17-minute mark and the win was now surely secured. Although Ivanhoe goaled, the little applause that followed it showed the realisation that it was too little, too late. The game went quiet for a while until Ivanhoe goaled at the 27-minute mark. Lachie Haysman received a free kick for a dangerous tackle, but missed, and the siren ended another 31-minute quarter and sealed the OMs’ first win of the 2026 season.
The win was hard-fought but often entertaining in what was a strong team effort. The first quarter was a dour affair that stifled Ivanhoe and the second quarter showcased what the OMs can do. In the early stages of the third quarter the OMs let Ivanhoe get forward too easily too often although the OMs gradually tightened up on their opponents. Enough was done in the last quarter to win the game, but with percentage often the deciding factor between finals or relegation, it’s worth noting that just over a goal more (or an Ivanhoe goal less) would have changed the OMs’ elevation from eighth to seventh on the ladder to fourth on the ladder.
In addition to Payne’s long-awaited return, Harry Cooper made an even longer-awaited return from injury. He made his presence felt in the air on the backline and was a great help there to Captain Tom Spargo.
Hugo Dale was the OMs’ best player. He set the tone early in the first quarter with his pressure and contested marks, which began delivering dividends in the second quarter and continued throughout the game. His approach to setting up for kicking for goal was spot on.
Ned Nichols helped set up the backline well and defended with real energy and commitment.
Louis Dalgleish gave the OMs real grunt through the middle alongside Nicky Christian.
Charlie Boston was on fire in the second quarter, with strong running and clever forward movements that gave him three goals to play an important part in building the OMs’ defendable lead.
Nicky Christian started the charge in the midfield alongside Louis Dalgleish with their attack on the ball and man.
Will Richards contributed good pressure from the wing that supported the midfielders’ efforts.
Three players debuted for the OMs.
Louis Bunting hails from Queensland, where he has played for Wilston Grange. To improve his footy, he attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2024 to 2025 as a boarder in School House. In the famous come-from-behind 2024 Cordner Eggleston victory at Scotch he kicked two crucial goals. Bunts began at the OMs this season.
Lucas Cossettini attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2024 to 2025 as boarder in Perry. He was a member of the Athletics team and 1st XVIII both years. Lucas joined the OMs this year.
Tommy Marriner attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2019 to 2024 and was in Witherby. He was a member of the 1st XI from 2022 to 2024 (2024 Captain) and the 1st XVIII from 2023 to 2024. Tommy has played for several clubs including Hawthorn Citizens, Prahran and Yarrawonga. This is his first season at the OMs.
This week the OMs (seventh) return to Elsternwick Park yet again, this time to take on Ajax for the first time in many years. Ajax (fourth) came up from Premier C this year and had a big first round win over Old Ivanhoe followed by a big loss to Old Carey. Both teams have a win and a loss each and are only separated by less than four percent in scores for and against, suggesting that this may be an even contest.
See you there.
Lurch.