Square wins dogged contest with Gisborne
GOLDEN Square won a dogged contest with Gisborne in Saturday’s 17th round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League season.
A wet and muddy Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street meant there would be plenty of stoppages and hard work in the clinches.
It took until the 13th minute mark of the contest for the first goal to be scored through Gisborne’s Josh Kemp.
A minute later and it was Square in front after a running goal by Ryan Hartley from the pocket on the swimming pool side of the ground.
Gisborne’s teamwork in the 50m arc was capped with another Kemp mark and goal to regain the lead.
The blue and gold replied when Jarrod Fitzpatrick was freed in marking contest, but Gisborne led 15-14 at quarter-time.
Gisborne captain and gun forward Pat McKenna was freed in a marking contest and kicked truly to lead 21-15 in the sixth minute.
A series of quick handpasses ended with a goal by Terence Reeves to level scores.
A pass by Ricky Monti from the pocket to an unmarked Fitzpatrick resulted in his second goal of the match and put Square up 28-22 in the 19th minute.
Gisborne hit back when Nic Doolan goaled after a 50 metre penalty.
It was the Christian Carter-coached Golden Square which lifted its workrate in time-on of the second quarter.
A brilliant snap by Tom Strauch earned goal of the day honours and was soon followed by a Joel Brett goal when on the end of a Jack Threlfall pass for Square to lead 40-28 at half-time.
Three goals in the opening six minutes of the third term through Jack Hickman, Braydon Vaz and a soccered shot by Jake Thrum put the home team up by 31 points.
It took Gisborne until the 21st minute to goal through McKenna, but a Hartley snap gave Square a 29-point lead at three quarter-time.
The fight of the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne team was to the fore as Adam Brancatisano, Ethan Foreman and McKenna were on target to be within 13 points by the 11-minute mark of the final term.
A Hickman set-shot in the 22nd minute would be Golden Square’s only goal of the quarter before McKenna and Matt Weber cut the final margin to 10 points.
Best for Golden Square in a 79-69 victory were onballer Ryan Hartley, key defender Jon Coe, Jack Hickman, captain Jack Geary, Ricky Monti, and Liam Barrett in defence.
Macklan Lord, key defender Jack Reaper, onballer Flynn Lakey, Liam Spear in defence, onballer Scott Walsh, and Matt Merrett were Gisborne’s best.
Sandhurst jumped to the fifth rung on the ladder as Kyneton fell from fourth to seventh after the Dragons won at the QEO by 23 points.
It was an elimination final for both.
The Dragons led 15-14 at quarter-time.
Inaccuracy let down Sandhurst’s dominance in the second term as it scored 3.8 to 2.0.
The Paul Chapman-coached Tigers struck back to take a one-point lead by three quarter-time.
Inspired by the play of Cobi Maxted who kicked a match-high six goals and the work of ruckman Hamish Hosking, James Coghlan and Isaac Carracher it was Sandhurst which slammed on 6.2 to 2.2 in the final term.
At the final siren the Ash Connick-coached Dragons led 80-57.
The Dragons’ defence worked hard to limit the Tigers to a game tally of eight goals in which Rhys Magin and Cameron Manuel added two apiece.
Best for Sandhurst included Noah Walsh and Isaac Ruff.
Harrison Huntley, Hamish Yunghanns, Caleb Fisher, Cameron Manuel and Jake Summers were best for the yellow and black.
It was five goals apiece for Callum McCarty and James Schischka as Strathfieldsaye dominated on Kangaroo Flat’s ground at Dower Park.
The Storm line-up led 37-7 at quarter-time and had surged to an 11-goal break by half-time after it scored 7.1 to 1.1 in the second term.
Callum McCarty, Daniel Clohesy and Hunter Lawrence played key roles as Strathfieldsaye went on to win 135-22.
Storm skipper Lachlan Sharp finished with three goals as Joseph Mayes and Riley Wilson added two each.
Goalkickers for the Roos were Max Johnson, Ethan Roberts and Campbell Smith.
Best for the Darryl Wilson and Shannon Geary-coached Storm included Bode Stevens, Jake Moorhead and Boden Alexander.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Ryan O’Keefe, Ethan Roberts, Mitch Rovers, Mitch Collins, Dion Symons and Hayden McSwain.
There were 11 goalkickers for South Bendigo in a big win on Maryborough’s turf at Princes Park.
The Bloods led 34-13 at quarter-time and then slammed on 8.3 to 0.3 in the second term.
Michael Herlihy, Liam Byrne and Sam Langley won plenty of contests as South Bendigo kicked away to win 146-31.
South Bendigo’s attack was led by Brock Harvey, five; Kaiden Antonowicz and Zaydyn Lockwood, three; Will Allen, Will Keck and Alex Smith.
The Magpies’ goals were kicked by Chris Freeman, Kya Lanfranchi, Brady Neill and Jake Postle.
Best for the Nathan Horbury-coached South Bendigo included Brock Harvey, Will Keck and Will Allen.
Mitch McClure, Coby Perry, Thomas Gardam, Brady Neill, Jake Postle and Lachlan Hull worked hard for the Rick Andrews-coached Magpies.
A wet Canterbury Park made scoring difficult for Eaglehawk and Castlemaine.
The Hawks led 20-9 at quarter-time of their final home game for the season.
A score of 2.5 to 1.1 in the second put Eaglehawk up by 21 points at the main break.
Castlemaine worked hard to win the next term by a point, but Eaglehawk lifted in the last as it scored 5.3 to 2.1 to complete an 84-44 victory.
The Hawks’ attack was led by Sean Williams, three; Cam McGlashan and Sam O’Shannessy, two.
Brodie Byrne, Zac Denahy and Bailey Henderson booted two goals apiece for the Magpies.
Eaglehawk’s best were Billy Evans, Dillon Williams, Brady Rowles, Liam Marciano, Kobe Lloyd and Joel Mullen.
Best for the Don Moran-coached Castlemaine were Bailey Henderson, Tom Cain, Liam Wilkinson, Declan Slingo, Tyson Hickey and Campbell McLennan.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Gisborne 262 per cent, 60 points; Strathfieldsaye 198, 56; Golden Square 246, 52; South Bendigo 104, 40; Sandhurst 129, 36; Eaglehawk 117, 36; Kyneton 116, 36; Kangaroo Flat 48, 16; Castlemaine 32, 8; Maryborough 25, 0.
Leaders in the Ron Best Medal senior goalkicking award:
89 Joel Brett, GS.
66 Rhys Magin, Kyn.
59 Pat McKenna, Gis.
52 Lachlan Sharp, S’saye.
51 Brock Harvey, SB.
50 Jayden Burke, GS; Cobi Maxted, Sh.
42 James Schischka, S’saye.
37 Cameron Manuel, Kyn.
36 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB.
32 Lachy Wilson, KF.
31 Josh Kemp, Gis.
29 Matt Merrett, Gis.; Braydon Vaz, GS.
27 Darcy Richards, Sh; Joel Wharton, Sh.
24 Liam Marciano, Eh.
22 Michael Herlihy, SB; Harry Thomas, Gis.
21 Matt Panuccio, Gis.; Matt Thornton, Sh.
20 Chris Freeman, Mb, Sean Williams, Eh; Lachlan Zimmer, Sh.
The 18th and final round of the home and away series will be played next Saturday.
Match of the day status goes to Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square who will play on Storm’s turf at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat do battle at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Gisborne is home at Gardiner Reserve to face Eaglehawk.
Castlemaine hosts Sandhurst at Camp Reserve.
Kyneton and Maryborough clash in Tigerland at Kyneton Showgrounds.
Written by Nathan Dole.
