Eagles get 90-82 AFL win over Melbourne

West Coast were pressured by a determined Melbourne before their home ground
advantage and superior skills gave them a much-needed eight point AFL win at Subiaco
Oval on Sunday.
The scoreline of 12.18 (90) to 13.4 (82) told the story of a match in which the
Eagles failed to take advantage of their chances on goal and the Demons clung on to
stay in the match until the final siren.
The Eagles third win of the season left Melbourne at the bottom of the table, but
demonstrated the need for an improved performance from John Worsfold's side in their
own 50.
Time and again shots went wide or struck the posts, leaving the partisan crowd of
35,200 on tenterhooks and lifting Melbourne's hopes of fighting back after they had
led just twice during the match.
Mark LeCras finished with 4.6 to save West Coast from humiliation and consolidate
his reputation as the side's sole sharp shooter at present.
Adam Hunter showed he may be returning to form with two good goals from his four
attempts and consistent involvement around the ball.
The biggest concern for West Coast was a groin injury to Daniel Kerr, which hampered
his second quarter performance and saw him take no further part after half-time.
Plucky Melbourne stayed in the game through some solid shooting on goal by Brad
Miller (3).
West Coast took a nine point lead after a low scoring first quarter in which both
sides were found wanting in skills.
Melbourne struck back with a goal from halfback Cameron Bruce in the opening minute
of the second term, but West Coast answered with three quick goals and looked set to
skip away from the rivals on getting 15 points in front.
Adam Cockie scored his first AFL goal from the difficult right pocket after good
lead-up work from Will Schofield, Adam Hunter scored from a similar position and the
trusty boot of Mark LeCras succeeded from a set kick he had marked 50 metres out.
But then it was time for 10-minute show of skills from Melbourne's Nathan Jones and
Brad Miller, who worked together to give Melbourne the lead for the first time in
the match 22 minutes into the quarter.
Jones, playing off the interchange, split the Eagles with his on-balling skills and
found Miller with three kicks in quick succession.
Miller repaid the faith in his kicking on goal and it was left to Dean Cox to steady
the West Coast ship with an opportunistic kick after grabbing the loose ball 35
metres out.
With a 7.7 (49) to 7.3 (45) half-time lead, 35,200 edgy West Coast fans were hoping
for a solid third quarter.
But it was the Demons who came out of the blocks and stunned their opponents with
two Russell Robertson goals and another by Jones.
They held an 11-point lead midway through the quarter before Mark Lecras scored the
first of two quick goals after a good lead-up kick from Ben McKinley and the second
from a fortunate free-kick about 40 metres out.
West Coast had to hang on through the last quarter as they continued the pattern of
gaining opportunities and missing goals.