THE Horsham Saints have become the first side this season to defeat the Horsham Demons after winning a low-scoring encounter at Coughlin Park on Sunday.
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Momentum ebbed and flowed throughout the game before the Saints were able to hold on for a 8.13 (61) to 5.3 (33) win.
Saints coach Luke Fisher praised his side for being able to win ugly in a tough contest.
“It was a bit of a scrappy win but it doesn’t really matter how you get them,” he said.
“We felt like we took a step back a couple of weeks ago but now we’ve bounced back well for two good wins in a row.”
After kicking the first goal of the game the Saints continued to pepper the goal face as they controlled the ball in the forward half but were unable to capitalise.
After a number of missed opportunities the Demons were finally able to move the ball to other end to get their first of the game.
A second Saints goal allowed the home side to lead by ten points at quarter time.
A rev up by coach Deek Roberts saw the Demons start to control more of the ball within their area of the ground once play resumed in the second quarter.
The side was able to lock the ball in its forward half for the early stage of the quarter but only a solitary behind was the result as a smart and experienced Saints backline continued to repel their thrusts.
Eventually the Saints were able to take the ball the length of the ground in order to extend their lead to 15 points.
Apart from the occasional forward thrusts from the Saints, the Demons continue to control the battle for territory.
With five minutes to go in the first half the side was finally able to get its second goal of the match and another before the siren saw it trail by three points at the main break.
The Demons hit the front for the first time with an early goal in the third quarter but it was not long before the Saint returned favour to snatch back the lead.
Goals to Mitch Martin and Sam Jasper in the final five minutes of the quarter allowed the Saints to establish a 15-point lead at the final break.
When Jacob O’Beirne marked in the goal square then kicked truly four minutes into the final term the equation looked very difficult for the Demons.
Another close-range goal extended the lead to 32-points ten minutes later to effectively seal the win.
“The Demons always play with belief and we are starting to get some of that now as well,” Fisher said.
“They are always tough to play against and even today I thought there was a couple of chances for us to take the game away but you just never can because they are such a good side.”