Round 14 - Sunday July 18, 2004
Riverina Football League
Venue: Griffith Exies Oval 2.10pm
Umpires: Pat O'Donoghue, Brett McDonald and Duncan Potts (RUA)
Griffith ............. 3.1 .. 8.3 .. 9.5 .. 14.13 (97)
Coolamon ...... 3.8 .. 6.10 .. 8.13 .. 10.15 (75)
GRIFFITH: Trent Bradley, Damien Scott, Simon McClure; Matthew McDonald, Ben Wade, Chris Conlan; Ben Ford, Adrian Burns (c-c), Jason Hampel; Michael Duncan, Phillip Rowston, Ashley Gardner; Brett Owen, David Curran, Jamie Bennett; Jeff Mickan, Shane Pound, Matt Bunn; Reece Hill, Mathew Crack, Rick Frkovic
COOLAMON ROVERS: Pat Edmunds, Leigh Drum, Brett Garrett; Bryan Munro, Jacob O'Neill, Francis Furner; Paul Thorneycroft, Matt Hard (c-c), Adam McKenzie; Jamie Maddox, Will Serong, Michael Suidgeest; Matt Bradley, Brendan McKelvie, Ryan Chamberlain; Andrew McCaig, Luke Maloney, Nigel Scott; Brendan McPherson, Sam Roberts, Matt Chamberlain
GOALS
Griffith: A Gardner 3, J Bennett 3, P Rowston 2, S Pound 2, A Burns, M McDonald, M Duncan, M Crack
Coolamon: J Maddox 3, B McKelvie 2, M Bradley 2, L Maloney, M Hard, P Edmunds
BEST PLAYERS
Griffith: S Pound, A Burns, B Wade, J Mickan, D Scott, J Hampel
Coolamon: M Hard, N Scott, L Maloney, J O'Neill, M Bradley, A McCaig
A summary of match report, with thanks
The Griffith Swans have leapt into second spot on the Riverina Football League ladder with a thrilling 22-point win over Coolamon at Exies Oval yesterday. Scores remained neck-to-neck with the now-third place Grasshoppers for much of the game, before the final 10 minutes saw the Swans move out to an unassailable lead. Swans coach Adrian Burns said the turning point of the game was a spoil from Ben Ford, which lifted the rest of the side, inspiring them to victory. "I'm rapt," Burns said. "It was pretty neck-and-neck all day, but it was a credit to the blokes how hard they worked into the wind. "The last ten minutes was when we really got away."

Coolamon held a narrow seven-point lead going into the first break, both sides battling in tough, windy conditions. By the end of the first half though, the Swans had overtaken to be out by five points. Coolamon were struggling for accuracy, and this was reflected on the scoreboard, missing many opportunities and allowing the Swans to stay in touch.

Although the Grasshoppers were ahead by two points at the last break, it was the Swans who were ahead on the goal tally and in the end, this proved to be the difference with the Swans booting five goals to Coolamon's two in the final quarter.

Ashley Gardner and Jame Bennett led the charge for the Swans with three goals apiece, Phil Rowston continuing a remarkable comeback from injury to kick two, Shane Pound also getting a double. Burns could not pick out a player for special recognition, attributing the win to a team effort. The win puts the Swans four points clear of Coolamon, with only Ganmain-GGM ahead of them on the ladder.

(By Grace Uhr - The Area News, Monday July 19, 2004).

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OTHER MATCHES - SAT: Mangoplah-CUE 19.9 (123) def Eastern Hawks 14.5 (89), Narrandera 16.15 (111) def Turvey Park 14.6 (90); SUN: Leeton-Whitton 7.5 (47) def by Ganmain-GGM 24.20 (164).

Reserves: Coolamon 21.16 (142) def Griffith 6.6 (42)
Goals: P Drayton, W Tyndall, J Moat, K Duncan, W Armstrong, N Hetherington
Best players: M Smith, N Creevy, B Lanyon, D Catanzariti, W Armstrong
Under 18: Coolamon 15.15 (105) def Griffith 6.4 (40)
Goals: R Newman 2, A Potroz, P Bugno, J Gastin, G Van Noort
Best players: R Newman, D Crack, L Habel, K Duncan, D Catanzariti, J Gastin