Ovens and Murray v Goulburn Valley interleague coverage from Albury Sportsground

The Ovens and Murray continued their stranglehold over the Goulburn Valley League with a third straight interleague victory on Saturday.

Damian Sexton's side prevailed by seven points at Albury Sportsground, meaning the GVL has now gone 13 years without tasting victory against the O and M.

But the home side were given an almighty scare, letting slip a 34-point lead and trailing a vastly-improved GV outfit inside the last three minutes.

Trailing by two points at three-quarter-time and needing a response after the restart, the O and M instead gave away a 100m penalty and Lachie Murphy-Dale obliged by kicking a simple goal which was followed by one for Ben Christopher.

The next goal, as the old cliche suggests, was going to be critical and it went the way of the Ovens and Murray courtesy of a strong Riley Bice mark just outside the goal square.

It was Bice, again, who got on the end of a pinpoint Brodie Filo kick moments later and slotted the goal which reduced the deficit to just three points.

The scores were level with nine minutes to go and when the GVL gave away a 50m penalty, full-back Lucas Conlan made them pay with a booming kick which soared through to establish a lead for the O and M.

It was a one-point ball game, though, when Magro fired again for the GV, and the visitors hit the front courtesy of a brilliant fourth goal from Jack Evans.

In a grandstand finish, Matt Casey hacked one through to give the O and M a one-point lead again and bring the Albury crowd to its feet and it was all over when Wangaratta Rovers' Dylan Stone booted the final goal of a thrilling game with 20 seconds to go.

3QT Ovens & Murray 8.10 (58) Goulburn Valley 9.6 (60)

The Ovens and Murray will have to come from behind in the final quarter of their interleague battle with the Goulburn Valley.

The GV boys totally dominated the third term at the Albury Sportsground and have outscored the O and M by eight goals to two since quarter-time.

Having been kept goalless in the second quarter, the home side soon ended that drought when Lavington's Ewan Mackinlay produced a classy pick-up, spin and left-foot snap which sailed through.

Jack Evans (Echuca) teed off from 45 metres by way of an instant response but Mackinlay was up about and as if to say 'anything you can do, I can do better,' he unloaded from distance with his right boot.

However, coach Damian Sexton must have been cursing in the coach's box when the ball was coughed up to Will Monohan, 25 metres out, and the Echuca man accepted the gift before Evans kicked his third of the afternoon to narrow the gap to 12 points.

Goulburn Valley were now well on top in midfield and they levelled the scores when Magro kicked two excellent goals in as many minutes to take his afternoon's tally to three.

Leigh Williams, usually so reliable in front of goals, hung another kick out wide when the O and M enjoyed a rare foray into their forward half but the GV won the quarter by 5.3 to 2.2 to put themselves in the box seat.

HT: Ovens and Murray 6.8 (44) Goulburn Valley 4.3 (27)

It's game on at the Albury Sportsground following a second-quarter fightback from the Goulburn Valley League.

The visitors outscored the Ovens and Murray by 3.2 to 0.3, reducing the overall deficit to 17 points and setting up an intriguing second half.

Goulburn Valley, trailing by six goals at the break, kicked the first two of the second quarter through Jayden Magro (Shepparton United) and Ben Christopher (Mansfield).

As in the opening term, the marking strength of Leigh Williams wasn't matched by his kicking radar as another shot went begging, before O and M vice-captain Cody Schutt rattled the post.

Euroa's Lachie Hill made it three unanswered goals as the GVL continued to dominate and the O and M finished goalless for the quarter after Bailey Frauenfelder missed a set shot moments before the siren.

QT: Ovens and Murray 6.5 (41) Goulburn Valley 1.1 (7)

The Ovens and Murray have made a storming start in their interleague clash with the Goulburn Valley at Albury Sportsground.

Damian Sexton's side lead by 34 points at quarter-time after six different goal-kickers got themselves on the scoresheet.

Leigh Williams proved a predictably safe pair of hands inside the O and M's forward 50 early but the captain pulled a couple of set shots wide.

When the Yarrawonga man took a third strong grab, he fired off a handball to club-mate Matthew Casey, who made no mistake from the goal square.

The GV responded through Jack Evans, who banged through a lovely goal from 35 metres, although the opportunism of Myrtleford's Brody Ricardi and Lavington's Jake O'Brien at the other end soon pushed the margin back out.

It was one-way traffic for much of the quarter and when Williams lowered his eyes, there was Wodonga big man Sam Jewell with a clean pair of hands and a sure kick for the O and M's fourth goal.

Jimmy Grills then got in on the act, taking an intercept mark and hitting the target on his home ground before a goal from returning Lavington star Billy Glanvill rounded out a dominant first quarter for the Ovens and Murray.

OPEN NETBALL: Ovens & Murray 36-39 Goulburn Valley League

The Ovens and Murray's wait for interleague netball success goes on after the Goulburn Valley again proved too strong at Albury Sportsground on Saturday.

Chasing a first win against their neighbours since 2017, the O and M started slowly and trailed by nine goals at one stage before storming back in the second half.

It was 29-29 at three-quarter-time and the home side got their noses in front early in the fourth but they couldn't hold on as the GVL shot seven of the last 11 goals to win a thrilling contest by three.

"I'm disappointed but proud of the way we fought back into it," O and M coach Rhiannon Harris said.

"Giving a team like the Goulburn Valley a nine-goal lead isn't ideal but credit to the girls, they rallied around each.

"We had our opportunities but couldn't quite nail them.

"The defensive pressure across the court from the GV forced those turnovers and the positives were that we were right in it and were one goal up at one point.

"We just couldn't quite nail back those last couple of goals in the dying minutes."

11.45

The O and M footballers are chasing a third straight win in this fixture, having taken the spoils in 2017 and 2022, The GVL last beat them in 2010 and here's coach Damian Sexton explaining why he believes the team he's picked can get the job done again.

Meanwhile, rising stars from both competitions will get the chance to shine in today's underage matches. On the netball court, 15-year-old Lily McKimmie has earned herself a place in the O and M 17-and-under side having committed to play for a club an hour-and-a-half's drive from her home town of Corryong. We love your passion, Lily!

In the open netball, the GVL has had the upper hand in recent encounters, with the O and M chasing a first victory over their fierce rival since 2017.

11.15

Some disappointing news from the netball courts, where North Albury coach Emily Browne has been ruled out by a knee injury. Browne, the triple Toni Wilson medallist, has also been unwell this week. The Ovens and Murray had pre-empted this, however, by drafting Myrtleford's Saige Broz into the squad.

11.00

Welcome to the Albury Sportsground and thanks for joining our coverage of the 2023 interleague showdown between the Ovens and Murray and the Goulburn Valley League.

Here are the timings for the day before we get stuck into the action:

12.00 - U18 football

12.15 - Open netball

13.45 - 17/U netball

14.10 - Senior football

The ground looks in terrific nick although we are expecting some rain later in the day.

Leigh Williams captains the O and M this afternoon and this is what Yarrawonga's prolific goal-kicker had to say when we caught up with him during the week.

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