“ON the road again, Just can't wait to get on the road again.”

Willie got it right in the song and the Casterton-Sandford Football Netball Club was keen as mustard to get back over to South Australia against the Doggies of East Gambier at McDonald Park.

Coach, Jarrod O'Brien, and his Senior Cats were looking to make up for a home ground loss in the first round and it was the Dogs who were going to bear the brunt off the Cats’ frustration.

Captain, Diarmid Cleary, won the toss and the first possession sent the Cats into attack, before East was able to turn it around though and the two teams begun a real tug of war for the Sherrin.

Adam McKinnon and Gabe Parsons were patrolling the Cats’ half of the centre square and picking off the ball as East drove it out, but Casterton-Sandford couldn't get the ball clear inside the 50, due to a dour East defence.

East Gambier made a run into their forward 50, where Tom Foster held them up with a lunging smother and held the Doggies up momentarily, but the ball was soon clear from the ball up and ‘Money Man’ Matt Ferguson, a former premiership player with East recently returned from Penola, snapped out of the pack and got the first goal on the board for the Dogs.

The ball continued to be shared between the teams, as Sully Gibbs threw himself into every contest and was giving a good show, but again it was Ferguson for the Dogs who was able to get hands on ball and kick the second goal for East.

The Cats weren't going to be denied for long with some good passages of play involving Harold Pritchard, Archie Lane and Parsons, as well as hard ball gets by Gibbs, Matt Mutch and Dylan Ayton.

Casterton-Sandford finally broke through when Cal Currie received a handball from Harold Pritchard under pressure and gave off a long handball to Ed Pritchard who was clear on the run and kicked the Cats’ first goal.

The Cats continued to have the majority of the ball, but it was the Dogs who would capitalise with another two goals, their fourth by another returning Dog in Kev Thomson.

Casterton-Sandford needed to find a clear avenue to goal, as Al McCrae had been winning the ruck contests for the most part and giving clean taps to McKinnon, Cleary and co, but the Cats needed to go more direct, which they did at the next bounce.

McCrae tapped clean to McKinnon who handballed to the running Cleary, the captain then passed on to Cal Currie who went long to the lead of Ed Pritchard.

Pritchard was then interfered with by a couple of East opponents and awarded a free kick, dutifully kicking the Cats’ second goal from the angle.

Casterton-Sandford again swung into action a few minutes later when Matt Thurkle and Cory Wombwell combined to clear the ball forward, as Dylan Ayton laid a strong tackle and lost a shoe in the process, once he got it back on and laced up, the umpire asked, “ Mr Ayton is it okay for me to re start the game?” to which Dylan replied “yes, you may”, and Hamish McCrae tapped to Harold Pritchard who swung around and booted the Cats’ third goal.

The Cats were headed towards goals again, through Sully Gibbs, when the siren sounded to end the first quarter, the Cats trailling by seven points - Quarter time: East Gambier 4.2.26 to Casterton-Sandford 3.1.19.

The second quarter saw the Dogs breakthrough for the first centre clearance, which was soon chopped off by the Cats and Ayton was again the general off the half back, clearing through Justin Carlin and Sam Craig to an unfortunate Hamish McCrae who looked all set for a mark but was taken from both sides by a pair off Dogs.

It looked like it should have been a free kick but play was allowed to continue, as Currie gathered the Sherrin and passed to the lead of Harold Pritchard who marked strongly.

Pritchard went back and the big Cats crowd behind him cheered as it snuck in for a goal, but the goal ump had a better view and gave it a behind.

Gibbs, Cleary, Parsons and Cory Wombwell were doing a power of work, Wombwell gained some attention in a marking contest and was unable to take his kick, he eventually shook off the injury in time for the ball to come back in his direction, he turned the East players back like a Kelpie with a mob.

The Cats got the ball and Gibbs went long to Currie, Callum then hit Ayton lace out in the square, Ayton went back and kicked the Cats’ fourth goal and draw even with the Dogs.

Casterton-Sandford went forward from the next centre ball up but East closed ranks and blocked the Cats’ attempts, until the big men combined, Thurkle handballed over a sea of East players to Hamish McCrae on the run on the inside, McCrae spotted Harold Pritchard who sold some candy and kicked the Cats’ fifth goal.

The Cats continued to push hard with Currie and Gibbs getting the ball forward, but the goal posts seemed to get closer together and only a point could be scored.

East Gambier’s goals on the other hand seemed to spread apart when with their next foray forward, they were able to get a goal.

That was it for goals though for the with scores locked at 5.5 (35) apiece.

East Gambier got the first centre clearance, but Tom Foster soon sent the ball back towards the middle to Justin Carlin, Carlin sent it forward, but the Dogs were onto it.

From an East out of bounds on the full, coach O'Brien kicked to Callum Currie who then kicked to Mancarella at centre half-back, Mancarella quickly turned on hearing the voice of his captain Cleary.

Diarmid then ran the ball up the wing and passed on to Adam McKinnon who handballed back to Cleary who sent the ball to the lead of Harold Pritchard who marked and goaled.

The play got a little rough and ready, both teams having a hard time getting clear control of the ball, it was pleasing to see the composure of the clubs leaders in Cleary, Currie and Ayton as well as the up and comers in Gibbs and Lane, taking the knocks and getting back up to tackle or smother the next attempt.

East eventually broke through for a goal after about 12 minutes of play with a free 20m from goal, the game continued to be a scrambly affair.

East were able to score a late goal through Matt Ferguson, who had been well held until that point since his early goals by Pat Milich.

East went into three quarter time with a seven-point lead and both teams looked happy for the break.

The last quarter saw East go forward, but a bone-jarring tackle by Adam McKinnon put an end to that, Jarrod O'Brien cleared the Cats out of defence before Al McCrae got a tap over to Ed Pritchard who powered away and kicked the Cats’ seventh goal.

East went forward looking to return the favour, but Matt Mutch had other ideas and cleared the Cats’ back half and Sully and Gabe did the rest, moving the ball deep into the Cats forward line where Hamish McCrae tapped to Harold Pritchard who motored passed several opponents and kicked the Cats’ eighth goal.

East again went forward from the ball up, but Hamish McCrae had gotten back and blocked the East offence and sent the ball into the Cats attacking half.

Al McCrae got the ball to Ed Pritchard who ran on and goaled the Cats ninth.

Casterton-Sandford had the ascendancy and looked to capitalise with a rush forward, but East was able to hold Ayton back off the ball and a point was the result.

The Cats kept the ball in their half of the ground but found the East wall of players difficult to penetrate.

An errant Cats kick opened the door for the Dogs on their third forward attack and a goal to East was the result,

 putting them back within striking distance of the Cats.

The Dogs had been given a sniff and were willing each other forward and were rewarded a couple of minutes later with their ninth goal.

Scores were tight and both teams continued to hit the ball hard, as anything East got forward was met by Schembri, Milich and O'Brien, while Thurkle stood tall and Gabe Parsons and Cal Currie’s run and carry meant the Cats were never far from their next goal.

Adam McKinnon had been at the fall of the ball on many ruck contests, and he was able to handball to himself and kick long to the Cats’ forward flank, before Al McCrae found Sam Craig to slot another major.

East was again able to direct the ball towards its end and after a bit of a scramble, the ball found its way into the hands of Ferguson for East about 20m from goal, and he’d shown he doesn't miss and this kick would have been very important, if only one of his teammates hadn't done something silly off the ball.

Pat Milich was given the ball and he deftly passed to Archie Lane who took his time with his kick and the Cats went up the wing and the siren sounded, giving Casterton-Sandford an eight-point win, 10.9 (69) to 9.7 (61).

Better Players: Callum Currie, Harold Pritchard, Diarmid Cleary, Alastair McCrae, Ed Pritchard and Adam McKinnon.

This weekend we play North Gambier at Island Park, many times I say welcome to Island Park but I don't think we need to be very welcoming to the other felines in the competition, in fact we should be most unaccomadating to them.

So get your game face on Cat Fans and let’s give the Tigers some curry and cheer our Cats on to victory, carn Cats.