In the game of the round Charlton got back on the winning list when they stopped Boort’s winning run, getting home by fifty three points. At Wycheproof the home side trailed Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers at half time by less than a goal but in the second half the Demons showed why they are one of two teams who remains’ undefeated. The Demons kicked thirteen goals to the Tigers three to run out comfortable winners. Donald also maintained their clean record with a big win over an injury depleted Birchip-Watchem Bulls who could only manage the one goal in the first two quarters. In the final game of the round the two winless sides in St Arnaud and Wedderburn battled it out in search for their first points for the season. St Arnaud won the game in the first two terms where they played more direct football to lead by thirty five points at half time. To the Redbacks credit they struck back in the second half but could not bridge the gap on the Saints to go down by thirteen points.
Birchip-Watchem v Donald
North Central Ladder Leaders Donald set the pace of this game fairly early in the opening term when they kicked out to a handy lead and in doing so also kept the Bulls goalless in this term. Ross Young and Brian Beckham were the main contributors for the Royals and set up many scoring opportunities to see the Royal Blues take a twenty eight point lead to the first break.
Donald continued on the merry way in the second term to extend on their already healthy lead as the added a further five goals and by half time their lead had blown out to fifty two points. In this term the Bulls kicked their only goal for the half and the chance of registering a win had all but been taken from them. Ratcliffe, Sirett and Monteith were solid contributors for the Bulls to this point. The Royal Blues better players in the first half were Beckham, Ross Young and Jordan Bath.
After the break the Bulls were hoping that things could get better for them but it was not to be. While they did not gain any significant ground on Donald’s lead they did break even with the Royals in this term, but the task ahead was not any easier as they went to three quarter time still trailing by over fifty points and with only three goals in the first three quarters the job of overhauling Donald was a little out of reach.
In the final quarter Donald did not ease off the pressure and added a further five majors to their score to extend their lead to over twelve goals by the final siren. Birchip-Watchem kicked one goal for the term and was no match for the Donald side and although the Bulls went into the game minus some key players the result more than likely would have been the same but the margin may not have been so great.
Better players for Donald were Beckham, Ross Young, Jarryd Newell, Sam Dunstan, Bath and McLoughlan with Ross Young and Bryan Beckham both kicking four goals.
Birchip-Watchem’s best were Daniel Ratcliffe, Michael Monteith, Sean Hogan, Callum Atkinson, Lochlan Sirett and Ben Munzberg.
Final scores Donald 16-15=111 defeated Birchip-Watchem 4-10=34
Charlton v Boort
Boort got away to a good start in this game looking to continue their winning run and gain a further break on those outside the top four as the kicked the first major score for the game. Charlton answered that goal as the contest heated up and neither side was able to gain any advantage. Late in the quarter Boort added two more goals to take a slight advantage heading to the first change but the Navy Blues was able to reduce the Magpies lead with a late goal to trail by less than a goal at quarter time.
In the second term the Navies started to get their game going with Kyriakides, McKay and Nicolson lifting their workrate which instigated many opportunities for Charlton. They Navy Blues pushed the ball forward where Joe McGrath continued his good form up forward and Matt Giri was doing some damage where he was able to chime in for a couple of goals in a good return for his efforts. At half time Charlton had taken a two goal lead over the Magpies in what was developing into a good contest between the Third and Fourth sides.
After the break both sides showed improved form as the ball continued to from end to end. Orr for Boort was giving his side plenty of drive around the ground and Keiran Wilson was solid down back and turned back many of the Navies forward moves. Both sides kicked three goals in this third quarter and at the final change there was no increase in the Navies lead with the two goals separating the two sides and the stage was set for a thrilling final quarter.
With some encouraging words from both camps the final term got underway with the Navy Blues drawing first blood when Giri kicked one of his five goals for the match. Charlton kept pushing the ball forward and was being rewarded as they went on a goal kicking spree where they kicked well clear of Boort to take a strong hold on the game. Charlton kicked nine last quarter goals and contained the Magpies to just the two majors. Charlton who were well served by Kyriakides, Nicolson, McKay, Sam O’Connor, Aaron Walklate and Matt Giri run out winners by fifty three points. Boort was able to match it with Charlton for three quarters but let themselves down in the final term where they were unable to stop their goal kicking spree. The Magpies best was Keiran Wilson, Jack Smith, Aaron Wilson, Jack Baker, James Orr and Chris O’Rourke.
Final scores Charlton 18-9=117 defeated Boort 10-4=64
Wycheproof-Narraport v Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers
An even first term from both sides set up what was appearing to be a good contest for the new comers to the league and the Wycheproof-Narraport Demons. Scoring opportunities were hard to come by in the opener with both side only managing two goals apiece. The Demons held a one point lead at the first change but were unable to get away from the Tigers who entered the game full of confidence after recording their first win in last week’s round of matches.
In the second quarter the Tigers started to team together better than their more fancied opposition where new player Lachlan Gilbert was causing the Demons some headaches by continually pushing the ball forward and also his skills around to goals where he kicked two of his four goals for the day. It took the Demons a while to get things together and they were able to break through the Tigers backline and get the ball to Corey Jones and he was able to convert and keep the Demons within touch of the Tigers heading to half time, Sea Lake Nandaly held a slender four point lead at the main break and would be looking to build on their game in the second half.
Wycheproof-Narraport again followed their second half form when they got away from the Tigers with a solid quarter of football where they kicked seven goals and held the tigers to just the two goals. The Demons dominance in this quarter probably stunned the Tigers who would have thought that they were in with a definite chance at half way. By three quarter time the Demons lead had got out to twenty eight points and they looked well in control of the game. Morgan Fawcett continued his good form to gather many vital possessions for the Demons and with Jones rewarding his good work up forward the Demons could go to the final break with a good base to build on.
As they have in the past the Demons run the game right out to again kick a score above fifteen goals with thirteen of those goals coming in the last half compared with three goals to Sea Lake Nandaly. The Demons had many good players by the games end with Morgan Fawcett being named as their best. Corey Jones with seven goals, Chris Howgate, Boe Bish, Rolly White and Adrian Pappin, also rated strong mentions. Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers better players was Jason Collins, Billy McInnes, Lachlan Gilbert, Colin Durie, Matt Elliott and Mikal Bloom. Lachlan Gilbert was their major goal kicker with four.
Final scores Wycheproof-Narraport 17-16=118 defeated Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 8-5=53
St Arnaud v Wedderburn
Lord Nelson Park was the setting for the battle of the two bottom sides St Arnaud and Wedderburn, who between them have won the past five North Central League premiership’s. Wedderburn got the first goal of the game kicked by Joe Lockhart but it would be the Redbacks last goal until after the long break. St Arnaud finished the quarter off better and led by fourteen points at the end of the term with Nathan Coghlan kicking the Saints first two goals.
The second term seen the Saints attacking the goals strongly and were rewarded with a further four goals in the quarter to bring their tally to seven unanswered goals and at the half time break had a commanding thirty five point lead. Nathan Coghlan led the Saints attack with three goals with the comeback kid in Daniel Needs, Josh Hicks and Kurt Dunn kicking one each. Wedderburn were well off target and registered seven points in the quarter with some of those shots being very gettable.
After half time the Redbacks made an all-out assault to reduce the Saints lead and control of the game, goals to Benaim, Darcy Jackson and two to Will Holt got the Redbacks to within two goals and their fightback looked on track but they suffered a blow when they had a player sent from the ground and the Saints with the extra number took full advantage posting the last two goals of the quarter to give them a four goal lead with a term to go.
In the final quarter Dunn gave the Saints lead a boost when he goaled in the opening minute of the term. Wedderburn’s Jake Hernan goaled and the margin was back to four goals, and then Vassallo responded for the Saints to send the lead back out again. Hernan who had played a great game for the Redbacks registered his second goal for the quarter and this was followed by a goal to Darcy Jackson, his second for the game and the Redbacks were back in the contest. Soon after Nathan Coghlan gave the Saints a bit more breathing space and the game looked within their grasp but the Redbacks were not done yet with Adam Postle and Will Holt getting them back to within two goals but time was their enemy and the Saints through Needs had a kick after the siren which hit the post to give the Saints a thirteen point win, their first for the year, Wedderburn remain winless and sit on the bottom of the ladder and may have to wait a bit longer to get on the board.
St Arnaud’s best Caleb Bloomer, Matthew Goode, Ben Batters, Toby Pickthall, Harley Durward and Lachie Cohen with Nathan Coghlan their major goal kicker with four. Wedderburn better players Daniel Gash, Jake Hernan, Will Holt, Jacob DeAraugo, Robbie Tonkin and Jordan Hargreaves and their leading goal scorer was Will Holt with three.
Final scores St Arnaud 12-13=85 defeated Wedderburn 10-12=72
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Last Modified on 16/05/2016 12:26