Kangas control second half of night fixture

Reigning premiers North Albany maintained their perfect record in the new season, accounting for Albany under lights on Fri-day by 50 points after a dominant second half at Centennial Stadium.

A terrific contest developed in the first half as the Sharks led early on before the loss of prime midfielder Jack Banks left them with 17 men for 15 minutes.

Banks was red-carded and reported for striking Kangas’ Nic Barrow in the opening term and will face the Great Southern Football League tribunal this week.

Barrow was yellow-carded for wrestling in the same incident and the Sharks seemed to lift on the back of it but by half-time the Kangas had established a 13-point lead.

That margin grew to 21 points by the last change as the slippery, dewy conditions of the night fixture made things tough for both sides.

The Kangas skipped clear in the final term as Luke Cameron kicked two of his four goals and Nathan Crudeli completed his best-on-ground display, as the side triumphed 11.14 (80) to 4.6 (30).

Crudeli was superb on a wing and was well supported by Michael Trevenen in the second half, ruckman Stuart Parker and the Kangas’ defence, which kept the Sharks goalless in the second half.

The defensive line was hailed by coach Craig Dew, who said his side got reward for effort in the final term with four goals to nil.

After failing to kick a goal in the opening half last week against Royals, the Sharks again struggled to find avenues to goal aside from Zac Pearson.

They felt the effect of missing trio Bryce Blaszkow, Fraser Eaton and Matt Baseden, but the performances of Coen Marwick, Taj Williams and Hamish Fuller were encouraging.