Round 15 Match Report
Round 15, Saturday 8 August 2026
Old Carey FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Dunshea Oval, Carey Bulleen Sports Complex
1st quarter: OMFC 1.1.7 OCFC 7.3.45
2nd quarter: OMFC 2.7.19 OCFC 9.5.59
3rd quarter OMFC 4.10.34 OCFC 14.7.91
4th quarter: OMFC 7.12.54 OCFC 21.10.136
Goals: Hugo Dale (2), Lucas Cossettini (1), Louis Dalgleish (1), Sam Laube (1), Fletcher Teelow (1), Ollie Tyrer (1).
Best players: Harry Cooper and Lucas Cossettini.
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Mac Anderson (67), Nicky Christian (21), Andrew Chirnside (86), Harry Cooper (23), Lucas Cossettini (39), Hugo Dale (15), Louis Dalgleish (13), Max Jane (9), Sam Laube (20), Freddie McIntyre (24), Henry Nicholls (25), Ned Nichols (3), Will Preston (11), Sam Seccull (28), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (1, Captain), Fletcher Teelow (4), Lachie Templeton (16), Miles Tyrer (17), Ollie Tyrer (32) and Gus Williams (35).
Due to playing in clash jumpers some jumper numbers were different for this game (as shown above).
Match Report by Lurch
Wilbur Brown, Louis Bunting and Charlie Nairn were replaced by Nicky Christian, Louis Dalgeish and Sam Laube.
This week the OMs (third) travelled to Bulleen to play Old Carey (eighth). As has been seen throughout the Premier B competition this year, ladder positions from second to 10th have often been meaningless as any team in that number range can (and often does) beat one that is more highly-ranked – as the OMs have found out more than once. Only unbeaten Collegians stand apart in every way. Despite the OMs arguably being the other form team, having won three in a row including against two second-placed teams, that meant nothing in this encounter. It was instead a game that should not have been watched by small children unless – perhaps - they were Carey children.
The sun was out albeit not as brightly as in recent weeks, with the game played in temperatures ranging from 14-16 degrees (said to feel like 11-13 degrees). The wind went from a northerly to northeasterly to north-northeasterly with a cameo appearance by an east-northeasterly. It was between 9-15km/h with gusts of 19-30km/h that slightly favoured the western end. The day was dry.
Old Carey set the tone for the game from the outset and never wavered from it. Every team that takes to a footy field ‘comes to play’ (why else would they be there?) but Carey made it clear it had a mission to avoid relegation and the OMs were not going to get in its way. Carey’s intent, focus, hard-running, spread, numbers and quick, direct, economical movement were on show from the opening chuck up. It goaled at the three, six and 10 minute-marks with the OMs rushing one but otherwise barely getting past the centre. The OMs were scoreless until the 19-minute mark, when Ollie Tyrer goaled in play to make it 19-6. Apart from this goal, the OMs remained shell-shocked and were unable to match Carey.
Some great defensive efforts were put in by Ned Nichols, Gus Williams and Harry Cooper but after a behind Carey goaled at the 22 and 24-minute marks. At 44-6 it was reasonable to ask whether the OMs would lose the game in the first quarter. Carey was kicking to the west with the strongest wind of the day. Fletcher Teelow had a long set show that bounced through the goal square but was rushed, Carey had a rare miss and then the scoring dried up. Mac Anderson kicked inside the arc as the siren ended the 33-minute quarter.
While online commentators suggested that Carey had a few handy ‘ins’, few could have predicted a start like this. The OMs could not afford to wait until the fourth quarter to respond as they did in the extraordinary game against Old Geelong, and if that response did not come in the second quarter the margin would be unassailable.
Although the OMs were first out of the middle in the second quarter the game was then played between the arcs. Carey scored a behind. Normally a reliable kick for goal, Sam Laube made his long-awaited return from injury with a set shot from the southwest but missed. Carey goaled at the 11-minute mark then the OMs went hard. Will Preston had a set shot about 15 metres out from the northwest boundary line but hit the northern goal post. It was 52-9. Carey goaled at the 17-minute mark and then OMs won in the middle with a big kick bouncing the footy through the OMs’ goal only for it to be deemed touched. Preston received a free kick, but his long set shot from outside the arc in the northwest was offline.
Hugo Dale was taken high and received a free kick from almost directly in front inside the arc and put it through to help the OMs struggle to 59-19 at the 24-minute mark. Not long before the quarter ended five minutes later, a worrying sight was that of key position player Jeremy a’Beckett being helped off with a knee injury.
The OMs won at the start of the third quarter. Laube appeared to have taken an incredible juggled mark after falling backwards onto the ground but was pinged for holding. Carey attacked but was defended, then Ned snapped and missed – the story of the OMs’ day. However, the kick was recalled as a free kick had been paid and Dale nailed the set shot from directly in front, inside the arc. It was 59-25 at the three-minute mark. Carey managed to miss everything but stayed forward and goaled despite an OM leaping high on the goal line. Carey goaled in play at the 14-minute mark and again from the centre chuck up. At 78-25, 16 minutes in, it was beyond doubt that it was game over for the OMs.
A stoppage in front of the OMs’ goaled was rushed by Carey which then goaled at the 20-minute mark. At 84-26 all hope had gone. Although the OMs won in the middle and got it to Dale, who hurriedly kicked towards goal, Carey turned on its ball magnet machine, and it bounced the wrong way. Remaining forward, the OMs eventually received the benefit of a 50-metre penalty with Lucas Cossettini slotting his set shot from directly in front to make it 84-34 at the 22-minute mark, but Carey goaled six minutes later. The siren sounded after 32 minutes with Carey appropriately in attack.
At the last break the word ‘percentage’ was very appropriately mentioned to the players, as it remains a critical differential in deciding ladder places in an extremely tight competition. The OMs responded by being first out of the middle but turned it over inside the arc and Carey goaled in the second minute. Dale marked and had a tough shot from the northwest boundary line but missed to the near side. Louis Dalgleish intercepted a kick near the top of the arc and dobbed his set shot at the 16-minute mark to make it 117-41 but Carey goaled in response. The OMs won in the middle while a spot fire broke out inside their arc. Laube remained switched on and put through his set shot at the 22-minute mark, but Carey goaled in response.
Dale had a set shot from outside the arc that just missed to the right and Teelow then had a long set shot from the southwest that he did well to put through, four minutes after the OMs’ last goal. The siren ended the game after 31 minutes, but Carey had marked and had a shot after the siren that missed – not that it needed it anyway….
It was a very poor effort by the OMs with a reasonably good team that was little-changed from the De La-beating team of last week (although the value of that win may need to be questioned, given that relegation-zoned Williamstown beat De La in this round). Carey had its strongest team of the year and it played brilliant football. The OMs were caught off-guard from the start, never played as they have been coached to play (and have played), and the inevitable resulted. In both the Senior and Reserve games the two Old Carey teams played the same way, outworking the OMs and reaping the rewards.
Harry Cooper was the OMs’ best player. As a key defender he saw no shortage of action and did his best to fight against the black gold and blue tide.
Lucas Cossettini was the only other player to be named among the OMs’ best. He was rewarded for his efforts at presenting at the contest at the other end of the ground.
Due solely to some other extraordinary results such as the De La loss, the OMs miraculously remained third but lost seven valuable percentage points to have the fourth worst percentage in the competition. It is very vulnerable to plummeting down the ladder if others below it win and it loses. Williamstown is three wins and percentage behind the OMs in 9th place, meaning that that place is still up for grabs in the relegation zone. There are three games remaining – the last of them being OMs v. Williamstown at Elsternwick Park. The OMs remain in a great position to play finals for the first time in many years, but they must get their minds and bodies back on track so that the last game decides their position within the top four rather than it being a Premier B relegation battle like the last game of 2007, which the OMs won by less than a goal….
This week the OMs (third) travel to Chelsworth Park to take on Old Ivanhoe (10th). Despite being at the bottom of the ladder with three wins and a poor percentage, the Hoes have a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation if other results go their way – in addition to winning every game. It is a must-win game for both teams, but the stakes are higher for the Hoes. The OMs must come prepared to work hard, and well, to win.
See you there.
Lurch.