PORT Douglas responded from a ‘good old fashioned spray’ to record an emphatic 55-point win over South Cairns Cutters on Saturday.

Crocs coach Brad Cooper was seeing red at the main break when he watched a handy lead reduced to just nine points due to ‘a lapse in accountability’ against the second-placed Cutters.

His half-time bake reverberated around Fretwell Park, but clearly had the desired effect with his ladder leading team clinical from that moment on to claim its 11th scalp in a row.

“I gave them a good old fashioned 80s spray at half-time because we were just kick chasing,” Cooper said.

“The second quarter was really frustrating to watch, it was easily our worst for the year and we went away from the things that have made us a good side.”

But through Dylan Wearmouth, Peter Bury, Declan Kelly and Wes Glass, the Crocs got to work after the main change and gradually gained the momentum. Veteran Paul Lewis and Gavin Jacks were also influential while spearhead Kye Chapple (five goals) started to hit the scoreboard.

A 9.5 to 2.1 second half ensured another crucial win for Port Douglas which has them two games clear of South Cairns.

“It was pleasing to see the way we responded,” Cooper said.

“The leaders started to correct things in the third quarter and we were able to get things back on our terms. That (second quarter) will actually be a great learning curve for us because the things that were breaking down we should be correcting during the game. It shouldn’t have to come from me, so we’ll learn from that. It was a solid win in the end.”

AFL CAIRNS - ROUND 15
South Cairns   3.1 6.3 8.3 8.4 (52)
Port Douglas 5.4 7.6 11.7 16.11 (107)

Port Douglas
Goals: Chapple 5, Bohm 2, Mayne 2, Bury 2, Riley, Glass, Graham, McCullough, Macleod.
Best: Wearmouth, Bury, Kelly, Glass, Lewis, Jacks.