The Western Magpies won a scrappy contest against a spirited Broadbeach Cats at Chelmer on Saturday, prevailing by 34 points, 12.15 - 87 to 7.11 - 53. The win consolidates the Magpies in third place on the QAFL ladder.

To paraphrase Steve Waugh, "a bad win is better than a good loss",  as the visiting Cats took it up to a Pies side who were off their game for two and a half quarters before the home side were able to break away late in the match.

The match never reached great heights as both sides were guilty of butchering the ball and it was only the extra class of Luke Scott, Matt Davis and Alex Dickfos that proved the difference. 

Broadbeach looked the better of the two sides in the first half and only resolute defence of Scott, Davis, back pocket Luke Mitchell and CHB Doug Lawrence kept the Pies in the game.

The home team should have felt flattered to be only 7 points down at half time. Broadbeach played a loose man in defence and the Magpies struggled up forward as a result. 

The Magpies were able to wrest control in the third quarter as they started to win the midfield battles with Drew Mitchell, Richard Wenham, Tim McEvoy and Callum Carseldine prominent ball winners and Dom Beer and Alex Dickfos starting to get on top in the ruck.

Dickfos was also good around ground with his marking and he sparked the Pies third quarter and then continued his momentum into the final term as the Magpies took full control to boot a further 6 goals to win comfortably.

The Pies defence was rock solid and Broadbeach's first goal after half time was late in the final quarter when the Pies led by 7 goals as the Cats finished with two late goals.

Redlands based Jordan Bain finished with 3 goals in a good return considering it was his first match for the Pies in 2015 after spending most of 2014 in black & white.

Luke Scott's decision making and reading of the play were both top shelf, Luke Mitchell's mopping up was good throughout, Matt Davis' intercept marking was a highlight and the defensive spoiling of Doug Lawrence was exceptional.

The Magpies now face their second 8 point game when they travel to play fourth placed Wilston Grange at Stafford next weekend. This is a catch up match from a washed-out round 4 match and despite a solid win over the Gorillas last week this is a new ball-game as coach Glenn Humphrey will stress to his players during the week.

Senior Coach Glenn Humphrey had this to say post match:

“We had to grind it out in the end, and really work our way through it, but we kept persisting with it and got a good win in the end.

“We had control of the footy in the middle of the ground, were getting it into our forwards quickly and had a few midfielders kick goals as well.

“Our use of the ball for most of the day was pretty horrible. We had plenty of the play we just weren’t capitalising on it and scoring goals. In the end we broke through and scored some goals.

Western Magpies 1.4 | 3.9 | 6.11 | 12.15 - 87

defeated

Broadbeach Cats 2.3 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 7.11 - 53

Best: D.Mitchell, R.Wenham, C.Carseldine, M.Dsvis, D.Lawrence, A.Dickfos

Goals: J.Bain 3, D.Mitchell, A.Dockfos, M.Hockley 2, S.Copland, L.Scott, B.Jeanke-Cain 1

Western Magpies appreciate the ongoing support of 2015 Senior Jumper Sponsor Mack Trucks

Mack Trucks is one of Australia’s largest manufacturers of heavy-duty trucks. Founded in the US in 1900, Mack Trucks are sold and serviced in more than 45 countries worldwide.

Australia is proud to be part of this group and to have celebrated 50 years of local Mack production on Australian soil in 2013. Every Mack truck built for the Australian market is built at our production facility in Wacol, Queensland. Our trucks are designed and built locally to withstand the diverse and challenging conditions of the Australian climate.

Mack Trucks keep Australia moving.