FOLLOWING a set of back-to-back wins, the Carlton Reserves fell short at IKON Park.
In the Friday afternoon fixture, the Blues string of wins came unstuck despite a promising start, with a strong Lions outfit prevailing 14.14 (98) to 11.8 (74).
Under duress for majority of the game, Ethan Phillips was the highlight for the Reserves – gathering a game-high 26 disposals along with 18 marks and an incredible 16 intercepts.
Alongside him, Billy Wilson (23 disposals, one goal) and Jordan Boyd (19 disposals, five rebound 50s) also held firm, while Francis Evans fought all day with 18 disposals, eight tackles and three majors.
It was Phillips and Boyd who set the tone in the opening minutes, where - after the majority of the opening minutes were played in the Blues’ back half - a transition sparked by Boyd was finished off by Wilson for the first goal of the game.
Despite conditions making it tough to attack, a pressing passage from the Blues - beginning with an intercept from Archie Stevens - was capped off by Will White finishing in the goal square in a bright opening term from the small forward.
The Blues were defending resolutely as the Lions attacked, but the Blues were able to capitalise despite minimal opportunities: granted a free kick inside 50, Harry Lemmey split the middle for his first major of the afternoon.
Not long after, the siren concluded a tightly contested term. The Blues, with the slight advantage, held a one goal lead at the first break.
Following quarter time, the away side brought the pressure early. Maintaining the ball in their forward half, the Carlton defence continued to hold strong under duress.
Phillips (15 disposals, nine marks) continued where he left off in the second, while youngsters Wilson (13 disposals) and Harry Charleson (11 disposals) started to get busy amid increasing Brisbane pressure, who hit the front after kicking 2.5 to open the term.
It wasn’t until halfway through the quarter when another searing kick up the middle from Boyd (12 disposals) opened up the ground.
Transitioning forward, it was Oli Warburton who hit Denver Grainger-Barras running back toward goal. With a set shot on the angle, he kicked true for the Reserves’ first of the quarter.
Beginning to find their flow, it was Darcy Hogg who found himself in space off the back of a releasing handball from Lemmey. Running into open goal, he obliged to once again shrink the deficit.
But in a similar vein to the AFL side the night before, the VFL Blues had a series of chances that they couldn’t capitalise on in the second term, with the Lions punishing them going the other way.
In the dying minutes, good body work from Frankie Evans in the contest saw him register his first goal on the siren to bring the Blues back within 10 points.
Looking to continue their momentum after the main break, the away side came out roaring, kicking the first three goals of the third term once more.
Wrestling back the momentum through the middle, Heath Ramshaw (18 disposals, five tackles for the game) and Archie Stevens stood up throughout the term, while Cooper Vickery also had an impact.
After relentless pressure from the Lions, it was Lemmey who broke the scoring drought for the Blues with an accurate finish following a huge contested mark.
Looking to capitalise before the clock ran out, an opportunity with a scrappy ball inside 50 was pounced upon. Back into the side after a hamstring injury , Hudson O’Keeffe found himself out the back finishing with an opportunistic finish from the goal square.
After the Lions had the majority of the play, their lead was extended to 20 points come three-quarter time, while defender Matt Duffy didn’t return to the ground following a hip injury.
With the Blues needing a big push, they were unable to translate early inside 50s into scoring pressure, before the Lions pushed out to a game-high lead.
The Reserves didn’t go away, when their first came through a Jaxon Binns set shot, while White found Evans twice in a row to take the forward’s tally to three for the game.
Despite the fightback, time ran out, with the Reserves falling by 24 points.
CARLTON RESERVES 3.2 5.4 8.7 11.8 (74)
BRISBANE LIONS 2.2 7.8 11.9 14.14 (98)
GOALS
Carlton: Evans 3, Lemmey 2, Binns, Grainger-Barras, Hogg, O’Keeffe, White, Wilson
BEST
Carlton: Phillips, Evans, Vickery, White, Boyd, Wilson
Jaspar Wilson-Keir is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing his Bachelor of Media and Communications (Journalism and Marketing). He is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.
