PENSHURST has retained its fourth-place spot on the Mininera and District Football League ladder, with a hard-fought victory over the Lions at Great Western Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The Bombers travelled north, knowing a loss would drop them out of the top five, and with wintry conditions the order of the day, the players knew the contest was going to be tough wet weather football.
The first quarter saw the visitors fall behind on the scoreboard, as Great Western started the match at a better intensity level.
The hosts could well have put the game to bed with straighter kicking in that first term, as they squandered nine shots at goal to record only three goals which kept Penshurst in the contest.
With the Bombers lifting in the second quarter, the scores were all tied up as the players headed for the half time break.
It was the visitors who claimed the ascendancy after the break, as they threw themselves into the contest wholeheartedly with the Bombers taking control of the match by defending their goal.
Great Western recorded only two behinds in the third quarter, as Penshurst took a two-goal lead into the last term.
With a narrow lead, the visitors refused to be run down, as the players lifted even further to run away with a 35-point victory.
Again, the players’ accuracy let the visitors down, posting 4.6 in that final period to waste an opportunity to lift their overall percentage which will be vital as finals loom ever closer.
Lachlan Watt, Nathan Rentsch, Sam Hasell, William Linke, Angus Brown and Tim McGregor all performed well for the visitors, while Will Clark, Nigel Sibson, Tom Robinson, Ajay Shalders, Renn Lovitt and Marcus Elliott battled hard to keep Great Western in the contest.
Other games
GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD sits just out of the top five on percentage after the Rams overcame a determined SMW Rovers team at Dunkeld Recreation Reserve on Saturday, 10.11 (71) to 7.4 (46).
The Rams took control of the game with a strong performance in the first half as they opened a 27-point gap on the scoreboard at the long break after keeping the Rovers to only a single behind in the second quarter.
SMW Rovers roared back into the match, as they returned to the field for the second half with intent to claim the points on offer.
The third term belonged to the visitors, posting four goals to trail by only 10 point at the last change.
The Bulldogs’ third quarter rally proved to be a false dawn, as the Rams collected themselves in the break to resume the final quarter where they left off at halftime as the players regained the intensity needed to claim a 25-point win.
Tim Kealy, Ash Caruana, Charlie Langley, Donald Collins, Joshua Nield, Tyler Staude all played vital roles for the home side, while Lachy Barnett, Jonathan Box, Joe O’Donnell, Matthew Mulcahy, Shane Lench and Nathan Achison did all they could to snatch victory for Rovers.
HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR failed to perform at Macarthur Recreation Reserve on Saturday, as Lismore-Derrinallum trounced the hosts by 174 points, retaining third place on the ladder while lifting its percentage even higher.
Michael Lockyer lifted his season goal tally to 40 after posting 11 majors for the match, as the Demons toyed with the home side in wet, wintry conditions that were not conducive to clean ball handling.
Lachlan Tanner, Rick Glare, Ollie Wortley, Sam Jewell, Jack Wortley and Adrian Bos tried hard all day for the Eagles, but Charlie Brett, Lachlan Isbister, Michael Lockyer, Hayden Brett, Josh Anderson and Jack Pitts led the charge for victory for the Demons.
CARAMUT was no match for ladder leader, Tatyoon, at Caramut Recreation Reserve on Saturday, as the Hawks ran away with the match by 163 points.
The Swans were beaten across the ground, as the Hawks took control of the game from the opening bounce to open the match with a six-goal opening quarter, but it was in the second term that the Hawks won the game by recording nine goals to lead by 98 points at the long break.
From there, the Hawks took pride in keeping the Swans goalless for the entire game, running out 25.18 (168) to 0.5 (5) winners, to remain undefeated for the season.
David Brady, William Henderson, Ben Clay, Kieran Collins, Sam Cronin and Joshua Brown combined to set up the Hawks’ victory, while Matthew Petherick, Joe Kenna, Phillip Edwards, Jacob Lacy, Patrick Drake and Mark Lehmann battling hard for the hosts.
ARARAT Eagles kicked the highest score of the round when they thrashed Moyston-Willaura at Alexandra Oval, 36.28 (244) – 1.0 (6).
With 15 individual goal kickers, Ararat shared the ball around with no one player being used as the focal point.
Ben Robertson, Jaydo Wright, Zachary Jenkins, Nick Dunford, Ryan Weppner and Brady Miller all contributing to the performance, as Jenkins kicked six majors to be leading goal kicker on the day.
WOORNDOO-MORTLAKE held off a determined Wickliffe-Lake Bolac to record a strong four-quarter performance away from home at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The Tigers needed to win to maintain their fifth place on the ladder and to also open a four-point gap over the Magpies in the rankings.
With the first quarter being tough hard football, the visitors were never tested after the first break as they overcame their hosts, 11.11 (77) – 6.5 (35) as Sam Gervasoni, Scott Addinsall, Liam Cameron, Henry Maconochie, Dougal Sweeney and William Templeton guided the Tigers to the win as Lewis Brice, Thomas Gibson, Christopher Hilet, Jake Williamson, Jake Clark and Daniel Barnett did all they could for the Magpies.
