It’s funny how inflicting a 5-0 thumping can lift the mood ahead of a challenging fixture. Wangaratta’s division one men will roll into this weekend’s derby clash with Myrtleford Savoy fresh off handing St Pat’s a walloping on Wednesday night. On their home pitch, the Devils were imperious, with two first-half goals setting the tone for the match. The Devils lifted further through the second half, completely controlling the game to record their equal-highest winning margin of the season. “It was good to emphatically win a game, the boys dominated which was good to see, and played with a lot of confidence,” senior coach Vitaly Leschen said. “Probably for the first 30 odd [minutes], we were playing good football and had a couple of chances but they also had a couple of chances. “It was one of those games where the first goal really mattered when both teams are lacking a bit of confidence. “We got the first goal in the 35th minute or something, from ‘Wellsy’ [James Wells] and Liam Cooper linking up, then Lukey [Simian] scored just before the break to put us 2-0 up at half-time. “In the second half, we kind of just came out and dominated, put three in the net – it could’ve been a lot more than three in the second half, and I don’t recall a shot from them in the second half, which is probably the best thing. “It bodes well going into Myrt, which is obviously going to be an extremely tough game.” The win keeps the embers of finals burning for the Devils, who will retain their spot in the top eight heading into round 17 this weekend. Leschen said a positive result was reassurance for the squad the systems and structures were working. “Everyone’s aware of where we are in the season and the results we’ve had,” he said. “I think it’s just a reminder to the boys that while there are good footballers at other clubs and we’ve been on the receiving end of a couple, they are actually decent footballers when they do the basics and work with each other and go out and try to put it to another team.” The Devils will need to be on their game this weekend, when they take on top of the ladder Myrtleford Savoy for the first time since Wangaratta's 0-2 loss back in May. It's also sponsor weekend for the club, when they show their appreciation to the businesses and individuals who help make the club function, so the stage is set for a massive game. “If there’s one thing I know about Jayden [Vescio, Savoy senior coach], they won’t have been happy beating us 2-0, so they’ll be up and about this weekend,” Leschen said. “I have no doubt the boys will be competitive, and I have no doubt they have the quality to get a result. “It’s a challenging game, but it’s the derby and on our home patch so we don’t want to give Myrtleford an easy win. “We’ll be up for it, that’s for sure.” Wangaratta City hosts Myrtleford Savoy this weekend at South Wangaratta Recreation Reserve.
