PFNL 2018: Centrals squeak by Rams with inspirational fourth quarter

The Blues trailed by 20 points heading into the final term before Matthew Thompson led them on a massive seven-goal blitz to tighten their stranglehold on third spot with a 13.7 (85) to 14.4 (88) win.

Thompson ended the day with six goals, four of which came in the final term, as he gave his side the lift they needed to move to seven straight victories.

But the game’s momentum swung like a pendulum, with Grant Dunn booting three goals in the first quarter to see the Mundijong-based side to a strong start before Rockingham came to the party in the second.

The Rams were emphatic after their sluggish first term, booting seven goals in the second with Tyler Sutton and Jaxsen Shinners snaring a pair each.

By half time Rockingham had turned a nine-point deficit into a 22-point lead, which Centrals only managed to cut to 20 by the final break.

The Blues looked destined to have their winning streak snapped, but Thompson’s efforts in the final term helped the bag an unlikely victory.

The key forward nailed the first three goals of the term to cut the margin to two points, and Centrals were all of a sudden up by 10 when Dunn and Tom Bennett followed his hard work.

Their comeback stalled when Andrew Stokes and Mitchel Curnow combined for three majors to give the Rams the lead again, but Centrals fired back, with Thompson fittingly kicking the winner.

Centrals move to outright third spot a game ahead of Rockingham with the victory, and will look to keep their streak alive when they host ladder leaders Baldivis this coming round.

Meanwhile Rockingham hosts Mandurah as they look to bounce back.

Rockingham

T. Sutton 4, J. Shinners 2, A. Stokes 2, J. Janzekovic, M. Curnow, K. Havelberg, Z. Selkirk, F. Millar

Centrals

M. Thompson 6, G. Dunn 4, T. Bennett 2, D. Wilson, A. Cabassi

Rockingham

M. Curnow, T. Taylor, Z. Selkirk, T. Naughton, K. Havelberg, A. Stokes

Centrals

M. Thompson, T. Gianatti, T. Bennett, G. Dunn, C. Lee, J. Martinez