Penshurst has marked its 150-year anniversary at Penshurst Recreation Reserve, defeating Hawkesdale-Macarthur in front of an adoring home crowd, 15.13 (103) to 7.17 (59), in the Mininera and District Football League on Saturday.

It wasn’t only the seniors that enjoyed playing front of such a crowd, as the reserves and Under-16.5 teams also claimed the points to make it a full celebration for the home club with senior football coach, Jayden Watson, especially pleased for the supporters.

“It meant a great deal to be able to fight it out for our supporters, as well as lots of past players and people who were involved with the club in one point in time,” he said.

As has been the case in all their games to date, the Bombers made a fast start in the first quarter by banging home five goals to only one from Hawkesdale-Macarthur, to hold a 25-point lead at the first break.

The visitors responded to the coach’s quarter time talk, as the Eagles came out for the second term full of running and kept the home side to only a single major, while adding three of their own.

The third term was tough, tight, in and under football, as both teams battled to gain control of the game, but when the siren sounded, the Bombers had added three goals to one to open a 20-point margin leading into the last quarter.

The game opened in the final term with both teams searching for the spark that would take the match away from the opposition, but Penshurst had the crowd willing it on and the players responded with a six-goal quarter to hand Hawkesdale-Macarthur a 44-point defeat.

“Hawkesdale-Macarthur is a team all on the same page with their ball movement and they can apply good pressure for long periods in the game,” Watson noted.

“I learned we could still find a way to win even when we’re not playing our best which was pleasing, but we still need to work on aspects of our game.”

Jayden Watson, Aaron Glare, Sam Weston, Kieran Neeson, Nathan Rentsch, and Jack Kruger were the pick of the Bombers team, while Lachlan Glare, Sam Hodgins, Rick Glare, Hamish Wortley, Xavier McCartney, and Brady Purcell gave their all to keep the Eagles in the contest.

Ararat Eagles d Glenthompson-Dunkeld

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD made the road trip to Alexandra Oval in Ararat and despite holding the lead at the long break, the Rams went down by only five points to the Ararat Eagles.

The Eagles were well aware of the threat that the Rams posed, as the game started with a tied first term with each team kicking three goals to open the game.

The second term was just as tight, as the first with neither team gaining a break on the other, as only three goals were kicked between the teams as the Rams went into half time with an eight-point lead.

The home side knew that the visitors were not going to stop coming when the teams returned for the third quarter, but the Eagles backs were impressive, keeping Glenthompson-Dunkeld to only one major for the quarter and opening an 11-point margin with one quarter to play.

 Poor kicking cost Glenthompson-Dunkeld dearly, as the Rams could only manage a further two goals from seven shots on goal and the Rams fell five points adrift of their hosts.

Carl Joyce, Tyler Staude, DJ Woods, Jezza Woods, Zach Burgess, and Thomas Waters did all they could to hand the Rams victory, but Naish McRoberts, Brady Miller, Scott Cocking, Hayden Baldwinson, Adrian Reid, and Luke Briggs were able to keep the Eagles’ noses in front when the final siren sounded.

Other games

WICKLIFFE-LAKE BOLAC maintained its unbeaten start to the season as it held off a determined Lismore-Derrinallum at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve on Saturday, 15.11 (101) to 11.4 (70).

After being 13 points behind at the first break, the Magpies took control of the game and steadily built a lead over the course of the last three terms to maintain their hold on second spot on the ladder.

Liam Zavaglia was on target with his kicking, as he landed nine goals for the Magpies to be the highest goal kicker for the round.

Woorndoo Recreation Reserve was the venue where the home side jumped above Lismore-Derrinallum on the premiership ladder with a strong display against Great Western, 17.16 (118) to 3.11 (29), as the visitors kicking for goal kept them from being a threat in the game.

Caramut was on track to record a win at home against SMW Rovers, but a second half fade out saw the Swans lose 12.7 (79) to 16.12 (108), as the Bulldogs kicked nine goals to three after half time.

Reigning premier, Tatyoon, made the road trip to Willaura Recreation Reserve and came away with the points despite a determined effort from Moyston-Willaura, 13.12 (90) to 9.7 (61).

The Pumas were stopped in their tracks in the final term after being only eight points adrift at three-quarter time, as the Hawks held their hosts to a single goal in the final quarter while booting four of their own.