Post-crash Pies Find Key To Saints
Sun Herald
Sunday August 10, 2008
COLLINGWOOD 14.13 (97)
ST KILDA 12.11 (83)SIX days after the car crash, Collingwood's air bags finally went off at the MCG last night.After being battered over the Heath Shaw-Alan Didak drink-driving affair, the Magpies produced a courageous against-the-odds 14-point win over StKilda to find a soft landing place inside the AFL top eight.The Pies dominated for three quarters, then held off a determined late charge by the Saints to post a well-deserved victory. Onballer Dane Swan and young forward John Anthony kicked three goals each for the Magpies, and Adam Schneider booted three for the beaten Saints. Collingwood had come into the match reeling after Shaw and Didak were suspended for the rest of the season in the fallout from Shaw's drunken car crash last Sunday. The Saints had emotion of a different kind during the week after news stalwart Robert Harvey would retire at the end of the season.But the Saints were surprisingly flat and the Magpies were anything but as they raced to a 14-point quarter-time lead. There was no chest-thumping from Magpies coach Mick Malthouse. "Under the circumstances - it's been a pretty torrid week - we were able to generate enough enthusiasm and enough desire to play a very good football side and win," Malthouse said. Saints coach Ross Lyon described his team's revival as "too little too late" and said he was bitterly disappointed. "They turned up from the start. We turned up after half-time," Lyon said. The Saints also have match review panel woes to contemplate on Monday with midfielder Aaron Fiora reported for striking Collingwood first-gamer John McCarthy.
© 2008 Sun Herald
