Legs play out thrilling draw with the Bloods

NORWOOD has played out a thrilling draw against West Adelaide in Round four of the SANFLW Statewide Super League Season on Saturday night.

Despite trailing for the majority of the contest, the Redlegs erased their 15-point deficit at three-quarter time by kicking 2.3 while keeping the Bloods scoreless in the final term.

Norwood’s Ashlee Gould managed to pounce on a loose ball and squeeze the ball through for a goal nine minutes into the final term, reducing the margin to seven points.

And after the talented Northern Territorian Mattea Breed narrowly missed her shot at goal two minutes later, Redleg Shae Hiscock didn’t blink after locking the scores at 3.5 (23) having been gifted a free kick for a West Adelaide throw just 15m out, directly in front.

The Legs continued to press, searching for that elusive winner, however, couldn’t fashion a late winner.

The first quarter was quite contested as both sides couldn’t register a goal.

It took until the seventh minute of the second term for West Adelaide forward Kasia Culhane to kick the game’s first goal.

West Adelaide’s first was followed by their second as Melanie Elsegood made no mistake of her effort to give the Bloods a 15-point lead.

Mattea Breed however put the Redlegs back in the contest as she kicked her first goal of inside the last minute of play to cut the deficit to seven-points at the main break.

The Bloods – with Crows AFLW premiership forward Rachael Killian acting as a vital conduit through half-forward – had a late charge thwarted in the final four minutes, leaving them to lament an opportunity lost.

Norwood’s Matilda Zander continues to blossom, regularly taking on the play at speed to finish with 22 disposals and seven tackles while Breed regularly posed a threat to the Bloods with her 17 possessions, five clearances and a goal.

The Redlegs currently sit one point out of the top five with one win, two losses and a draw.

Next the Redlegs travel to X-Convenience Oval to face Central District who they were defeated by in Round One by four-points.

Scoreboard:
West: 0.2 2.3 3.5 3.5 (23)
Norwood: 0.0 1.2 1.2 3.5 (23)
Goalkickers: Breed, Hiscock, Gould
Best: Armitstead, Zander, Cutting, Gould, Sporn
Venue: Flinders University Stadium