PENSHURST has made a statement to the rest of the competition, that it wants a spot in the top five this season after an emphatic victory against Hawkesdale-Macarthur at Penshurst Recreation Reserve on Saturday, 15.18 (108) - 6.9 (45).

With the district waking to heavy rain that soaked playing arenas across the South West, Penshurst should have wrapped this game up in the first quarter with 12 shots on goal, but the radar was off target as the Bombers could only manage two majors up to quarter time but held a 15-point margin over its visitors.

Adjustments were made to the team radar and from the second quarter onwards the home side only kicked a further eight behinds as they dominated a listless Hawkesdale-Macarthur.

Penshurst suffered a major injury blow to star youngster Henry Bensch in the second term as he went down with an ankle injury that took him from the contest.

The Bombers will be glad for the Kings Birthday break this week that should allow Bensch to get the injury right before the Bombers tackle Woorndoo-Mortlake and Tatyoon in their next two games.

By halftime the margin had increased to 21 points and the home side was back on target with their kicking for goal.

When play resumed for the second half, Penhurst was too strong for the Eagles by kicking six goals to one to take the wind fully from the wings of the Eagles as it became a case of how far the home side as they entered the final stanza 51 points to the good.

Veteran full-forward Tim McGregor added another four goals to take his season tally to 20 as the Bombers added another three majors in the last term to run out 63-point victors.

Kieran Neeson, Jacob Mibus, Aaron Glare, Archie Page, Jock Nicholls and George Pern were judged as being the best of the home side, while Aaron Seabrook, Hamish Gleeson, Luke Gow, Lachlan Glare, James North and Hamish Wortley did what they could for the Eagles in reply.

The loss sees Hawkesdale-Macarthur drop two wins behind fifth spot on the ladder and if it continues to lose then finals aspirations will disappear by the school holiday break.

Penshurst has that fifth rung on the ladder well in hand but has games against the third and first-placed teams in its next two games which will test the Bombers.

Other games

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD has regained its winning form with a strong display against SMW Rovers at Dunkeld Recreation Reserve, 17.13 (115) – 4.5 (29).

Having lost its last three games, Glenthompson-Dunkeld was in danger of undoing all the good work from the opening five rounds, but a five-goal opening quarter put the visitors to the sword quickly.

The home side had a 49-point lead at the main break and the game was well in hand as they kept the visitors to only a single goal by the halftime siren.

In a sign that the Rams are back in form, the side scored more points in the second half than the first with Mitchell Johnston and Thomas Waters kicking three goals apiece.

DJ Woods, Thomas Waters, Mitchell Johnson, Sam McConachy, Jack Oswald and Lachlan Phillips stood out for the Rams while Daniel Curran, Angus Hamilton, Joe O’Donnell and David Box gave their all for the Bulldogs.

LISMORE-DERRINALLUM and Caramut had its game abandoned after the air lifting of Caramut reserves player Daniel Simpson earlier in the day at Derrinallum Recreation Reserve.

Twenty minutes of the first quarter was played before the arrival of the air ambulance at the venue, but by the time that Simpson was loaded into the helicopter it was after 4.00PM and despite negotiations between the two clubs to play out the game with shorter quarters it was decided to abandon the game.

ARARAT took the game right up to Wickliffe-Lake Bolac at Alexander Oval nearly coming from behind in the last term to pull off an upset, just falling short with 9.10 (64) - 10.8 (68).

With results in other games going as expected, this result hasn’t moved either team from the rung they occupied on the premiership ladder before the game.

It was tough in-and-under football from both teams as neither was prepared to back off from the contest and the scores were tied at the end of the first term.

The Eagles held a slim four-point advantage at the end of the first half but found themselves behind by 10 come the siren to end the third quarter as the Magpies took control of the game.

Despite kicking three goals to two goals in the last term, Ararat couldn’t close the gap by the sounding of the final siren despite the best efforts of Jaydo Wright, Mason Kelly, Aaron Neil, Zayne Hall, Jackson Taurau and Dale Reid to get the Eagles over the line as Jake Williamson, Lewis Crichton, Robert Brown, Lewis Brice, Lachlan Boseley and James Boseley starred for the victors.

GREAT WESTERN staged a third quarter comeback against Woorndoo-Mortlake at Great Western Recreation Reserve to get within three points of the visitors but couldn’t keep the momentum up for the final term as the Tigers won, 11.12 (78) - 8.13 (61).

LADDER leaders, Tatyoon took no mercy on Moyston-Willaura at Willaura Recreation Reserve as the visitors recorded a 26.29 (185) – 3.1 (19) thrashing of the home side but the Hawks must be concerned with the lopsided shots on goal.