Maryborough Rovers v Avoca
Avoca have tasted victory for the second week in succession when they held on to defeat a fast finishing Maryborough Rovers by 9 points at Jubilee Oval on Saturday, creating a five-way tie in eighth spot as the Bulldogs kept their finals hopes alive.
After the Rovers took a one-goal lead into the quarter time break, wet and slippery conditions ensured a low scoring second term with Avoca posting the only goal of the quarter through Brady Williams, with the speedy youngster having an effect on the game before having to the field shortly after due to a heavy collision in the middle of the ground. Bulldog Jay Armstrong had an opportunity to put Avoca in front late in the term but his kick was off line and the behind levelled the scores at half time.
The third quarter was the match winning term for Avoca as they controlled the play for the majority of the term and were able to apply some scoreboard pressure and kicked four goals to one. Lachlan Morganti came alive midway through this term and his run was inspirational, as he slotted two running goals in two minutes, and this was followed by a free kick to Ben Howell and the Bulldogs Captain kicked truly to allow Avoca to lead by three goals at the final change.
Whatever was said at three quarter time in the Rovers huddle had the desired effect as the Magpies won the first two centre clearances resulting in goals to Karson Guareschi, and it was quickly a one goal ball game. Ryan Guareschi was bullocking his way through the packs and sending his team forward at every opportunity, while Dion Hedger was punching the ball forward at the ruck contest, Bryce Fletcher had the opportunity to level the scores at the nine minute mark, but his shot hit the post.
The Bulldogs took advantage of this missed opportunity and Lachlan Morganti ran the ball forward and kicked long to where Ben Howell marked in the goal square.
Greg Hewson followed up with a goal off the ground a minute later and it was out to a 16 point margin at the 15 minute mark. Rovers had a number of forward entries and Bryce Fletcher made up for his earlier miss when he goaled from a free kick, but Haydn Slater was standing tall for the Bulldogs in defence and he repelled a number of Rovers attacking moves.
Ben Howell kicked his third goal and the sealer for Avoca in the dying stages of the game to give Avoca their second successive victory and third for the season.
Avoca 10.9.69 def Maryborough Rovers 8.13.61
Maldon v Campbells Creek
Maldon hosted Campbells Creek at the Bill Woodfull Recreration Reserve on Saturday and were soundly defeated by seventy eight points as the Magpies kept their finals hopes alive with the victory, moving into ninth position on the ladder, with just percentage separating themselves and eighth-placed Talbot.
Creek were never really troubled throughout the game as they kept the Bombers to just four goals for the game. The Magpies shared the goals around using nine different avenues to the big sticks with Jayson Gilbert being the main contributor with three goals for the afternoon. Daniel Klimeck continued his good form and set up a lot of the Magpies attacking moves as did the speedy Brandon Greenwood, while Josh Adamson and James Boag were again amongst Creek’s better players on the day.
Vaughn Williams was the main contributor for the Bombers and gave his all in trying circumstances and he was well supported by Mark Webb, Hayden Kelly and Shaun Burchell, while Kyle Winstanley was also a good provider on the day and finished with two goals for the Bombers.
Campbells Creek will now face Talbot next round in a battle for eighth position on the ladder, while Maldon will face Avoca with both teams also in contention for a top eight position.
Campbells Creek 14.17.101 def Maldon 4.9.33
Lexton v Harcourt
Lexton kept a hold on third position after a hard fought, come from behind thirteen point win over a determined Harcourt at home on Saturday.
An eight goal opening term by the Harcourt Lions took Lexton by surprise and had the Tigers on the back foot early in the game. The Lions were on a high and victory seemed a very big possibility, but to the Tigers credit, their fighting qualities showed out in the second quarter and they had fought back to level the scores at the half time break.
The third term was a hard fought term with neither team giving an inch, but the Lions were able to gain the advantage and took a slender eight point lead into the final term.
With a top four spot on the line, the Tigers came home strongly with a four goal final term to overrun the Lions who could only manage to score the one solitary goal as the Tigers ran out winners by just thirteen points in a very tough hit-out.
Harcourt coach Sean Smith would have to be happy with his players efforts in the first term, however, the Tigers outscored his team by forty one points from quarter time onwards which would not please Smith, especially as they only lost the game by thirteen points.
Lexton’s Matthew Brown was outstanding in front of goal and kicked eight goals for the game, while Lachlan Murray also kicked truly on four occasions.
Matt Brown, Scott Clark and Nathan Barnes were amongst the better players for the Tigers as was Lachlan Pryor, Jordan Phelan and Jimmy Templeton.
Jeff McMurtrie, Daniel Smith and Brendan Josey were the key contributors for Harcourt while Sam Gale, Mick Dwyer and Chris Smart were also amongst the better players.
Lexton 15.8.98 def Harcourt 13.7.85
Newstead v Navarre
Navarre’s dominance continued for another week, holding an opponent goalless for an entire game for the second successive week as Newstead could manage just two behinds for the game en route to a 111 point defeat.
It is uncanny that such a scoreline has been repeated for the second week in a row and it is thought that it would be a record low score by the Steaders, as it was for Maldon the week prior.
Navarre was never really challenged, although scoring was difficult for the Grasshoppers in the second and final quarters, in which they only scored two goals in each term.
Navarre’s main goal kicker with four goals was young Riley Bibby who has just returned to the line-up after touring Far North Queensland with the AFL Goldfields Under 16.5 team.
Jesse Hannett, Daniel Reading and Sam Kaye were hard to combat for the Grasshoppers and Nick Murphy and Billy Parry also put in a solid performance.
Michael Dalrymple is having a stellar season for Newstead and did not lower his colours once again as he tried hard all day, while Cameron Hepburn, Adam Hunter and Cody Kirby were also amongst Newstead’s better players on the day.
Navarre 17.11.113 def Newstead 0.2.2
Talbot v Carisbrook
Carisbrook has extended its winning run to double figures, as Talbot became the 10th MCDFNL team to feel the wrath of the Redbacks, going down by eight goals on Saturday.
Despite booting an impressive 12 goals against an uncharacteristically loose Carisbrook defence, the Hawks could not counter the Brook’s attacking firepower, suffering a 20.7 (127) to 12.7 (79) loss.
Despite Carisbrook getting a jump on the Hawks in the first quarter, booting four goals to Talbot’s one, the Hawks mounted an impressive fightback in the second term, booting five goals for the quarter, only for Carisbrook to respond with five goals of their own, establishing an 18-point buffer at half time.
Talbot managed to close that gap to just 14 points by the end of the third, courtesy of some impressive attacking football, but could not match the Redbacks in the final term, as the Brookers booted seven goals to Talbot’s one to blow the game wide open.
Again it was Matthew Bilton who proved too hard to stop up forward, slotting four goals for Carisbrook, backed up by two each from Nick Wright, Pat Jenes, Ryan Hudson-Morgan and Jacob Dyer.
Midfielder Lachlan Edwards was a standout for the Redbacks, along with Mitchell Whelan, Nick Wright, Adam Hurse and Bilton.
Trent Barras was again one of Talbot’s main avenue to goal, snagging two, as did Ryan Kenden and Luke Kemp.
Best afield honours for the Hawks were bestowed upon Liam Belcher, backed up by Matthew Smith, Kallan Boucher and Brendan Shine.
Trentham v Royal Park
Royal Park remains in the hunt for a top four finish to the MCDFNL season after overcoming a brave Trentham by 24 points on Saturday.
With almost every game from now until the end of the season a must-win for the Tigers if they hope to sew up fourth place, they overcame the gallant Saints — and some freezing temperatures — to record their seventh win of season 2015, 9.10 (64) to 5.10 (40).
A slow start to game proved costly for Trentham, allowing the Tigers to skip out to an 11-point lead by quarter time, and forced to play catch-up football for the remainder of the day.
The same margin remained in place at half-time, despite Trentham booting two second quarter goals, failing to stop Royal Park from scoring to maintain their lead.
The Tigers surged further ahead after half time, as inaccurate kicking at goal proved costly for Trentham, booting 3.8 to Royal Park’s 6.6 by the time the siren sounded for the final break.
Eventually, the effort proved a bridge too far for Trentham, who again suffered frustrating fadeouts throughout the game, which the Tigers were more than happy to capitalise upon.
Taylor Stewart, Josh Brown and Michael Noonan shared the goalkicking honours for Royal Park, booting two each, while Stefan Pye, James Lindeback, Ben Clay and Trent Pye were named Royal Park’s best.
Trentham’s goalkicking was spread among five players, while Lewis Bruton, Paul Smith, Brendan James and Luke Whitehouse were the Saints’ standouts.
Natte Bealiba v Dunolly
Natte Bealiba has done its top four hopes no harm with a crushing 115-point win over Dunolly on Saturday.
The Swans cashed in against an undermanned Eagles outfit, who were earlier forced to forfeit their reserves match due to lack of numbers, recording a 19.13 (127) to 1.6 (12) win over Dunolly, despite some inclement weather.
Despite a slow start to the first quarter, which saw Dunolly kick their only goal of the game courtesy of an impressive boundary line snap from Craig Gloury, the Swans bounced back with force, establishing a 42-point lead by half time, thanks in large to some miserly defence from Natte’s backline.
The all-out attack from Natte continued in the second half, with Dunolly’s legs tiring in the wet as the Swans piled on a whopping eight third quarter goals, while restricting Dunolly to just two behinds for the quarter.
Four more final quarter goals added to Natte’s dominance, as the Swans’ midfield class shone through in the forms of Zac Perez, Daniel Gifford and Brent Mortlock, who wound back the clock with an outstanding display of wet weather football.
Small forward Ryan Weir relished his return to senior level, along with the wet conditions, booting four goals, while Lachlan Cameron, Brent Mortlock, Trent Mortlock and Jarrod Bateson all slotted two goals.
Perez, Mortlock, Weir, Gifford, and Matthew Stagg were named Natte’s best performers in the big victory.
In a dirty day for the Eagles, Grant Raven, Jeremy Laird, Matt Gibbs and Jackson Baker were Dunolly’s better performers.
Last Modified on 13/07/2015 13:59