By: Tash Gunawardana
MONTROSE celebrated its first win of season 2019, defeating North Ringwood by 46 points highlighted by a strong five-goal first quarter last weekend.
Senior coach Peter Bastinac spoke to EFL Sunday after his side’s breakthrough first victory of the season, he was not only proud of his boys, but also of his off-field staff.
“Full credit to our off-field people as well you know,” he said.
“They weren’t getting impatient; they weren’t putting pressure on the players or the coaching staff.
“It was great support off the field as well.”
It was the first time this season that Montrose played consistently well for four quarters of footy.
“To lead from start to finish was certainly pleasing, we haven’t been in that position all year, we have been in a lot of games, but haven’t been able to get the four points so to play a four-quarter game was the recipe for yesterday,” Bastinac said.
Tim Jones has been a star for Montrose in 2019 and is expected to feature heavily in Montrose’s best and fairest count at the end of the season.
Bastinac spoke highly of Jones.
“Tim Jones he’s a star player, he’s been very consistent over two years now,” he said.
“We are happy to have him.”
Montrose had a spread of 12 goal kickers including Jones, Bailey White, Tim Lanyon, Shaun McMillan, Matthew Langdon, Mitchell Davis, Andrew Haining, Matthew Jeffery, Sam Rickard, Samuel Gibson, Nicholas Dinham and Riley Hams.
“(It) highlights the fact that we had a team effort, no reliance on one player, I think we all knew that the 21 out there had to do something and they all did, so that’s where the contribution comes from when it’s a really good (even) spread,” Bastinac said.
Looking ahead to next season, Bastinac is optimistic and believes his side have started on the right track.
“If you look at yesterday, we had half a dozen really young boys step up to play real good strong footy and its (credited to the) continued development of our juniors,” he said.
“I look at our under-17s and the numbers coming through now, the big problem for us has been that we have no under-19s for the last two seasons and when you look at us, we have 14 junior teams now.
“60 players in the under-17s, the club’s in a strong position.”
Montrose will finish its 2019 season this weekend as it travels Cheong Park to face South Croydon.
EFL SUNDAY PODCAST | Listen to Montrose coach Peter Bastinac’s full interview here.
