Second Half Comeback gets Demons on the Board

Inspired performances from midfielders Liam McKenna, Clinton Jones and Julian Jacobs helped the Demons record their first win for 2016, defeating Claremont by 17 points at Lathlain Park on Saturday afternoon.

Perth came back from a 22-point deficit at quarter-time, and kicked four of the last five goals to get over the Tigers 14.11 (95) to 12.6 (78).

After going down to West Perth by 41 points last week, the Demons stole the ascendency when the game was up for grabs due to the efforts of Jones (29 disposals), McKenna (28 and  two goals), Julian Jacobs (28), and Brennan Stack (three goals).

Perth were made to work for the win, after struggling to find composure and maintain high disposal efficiency in the first term.

The second term saw more use of the ball by foot, as the Demons kicked five goals to three to cut the margin back to 12 points at the main break.

Both sides scrapped away early in the third term to try and get first blood of the second half, but it was Claremont who started with the goal through Oliver Tate.

But the Demons were able to muster the momentum back in their favour with Callum Walley’s kicking two goals from set shots and McKenna’s second goal from a kick-in turnover late in the quarter.

The Tigers started the final term with a three-point advantage, but couldn’t capitalise on an opportunity to extend that early in the term, as Jack Bradshaw missed a relatively simple set shot from 20 metres out.

The Demons hit the lead for the first time at the thirteen-minute mark through Brett Wolfenden, in his first game of the season, from a snap directly in front of goal. Wolfenden repeated the act four minutes later, pushing the margin out to eleven points.

But the Tigers were yet to throw in the towel, as Beau Maister kicked only his second goal for the day deep in the final quarter after being held all day by Aaron Zucconi in his 100th match for the Demons.

Brent Latch and Spencer White held off any possible comeback with goals late in time on to guarantee the Demons their first win of the year.

The Colts have started 2016 win two wins from as many games with a two-point win, while the Reserves remain winless thus far after going down by 16 points.

PERTH            2.3    7.4    10.7    14.11.95
CLAREMONT        6.1    9.4    11.4    12.6.78

GOALS

PERTH: B Stack 3, S White 2, L McKenna 2, C Walley 2, B Wolfenden 2, C Leggett 1, L Dennis 1, B Latch 1.
CLAREMONT: O Tate 3, D Cameron 2, B Maister 2, M Andrews 1, M Davies 1, T Ledger 1, R Neates 1, J Hardisty 1.

BEST

PERTH: L McKenna, C Jones, J Jacobs, S White, A Zucconi, B Latch
CLAREMONT: O Tate, J Bolton, R Neates, T Ledger, M Davies

UMPIRES: J Mohen, N Williamson, J Fry

CROWD: 1800 (approx.) at Lathlain Park