Roos ready to face Dragons’ fire in second semi
KANGAROO Flat will be prepared from the intense pressure applied by Sandhurst in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s A-grade second semi-final.
The Roos and Dragons will fight to be first to reach the grand final when they clash on the Queen Elizabeth Oval court.
In a remarkable feat, Sandhurst has all six teams in the second semi-finals.
As Kangaroo Flat’s A-grade team had a week’s rest courtesy of finishing on top of the ladder, Sandhurst struck back from a round 18 defeat to win the qualifying final against Gisborne by 15 goals.
The Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst is in pursuit of a fourth consecutive A-grade premiership which is yet to be done in Bendigo FNL netball history.
Kangaroo Flat will be doing everything it can to claim the premiership cup.
When these teams met in round four at the QEO it was Sandhurst which won a high-scoring contest, 52-51.
The Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroos dominated a lot of the round 16 clash with the Dragons at Dower Park.
The Roos’ powerful attack took advantage of the work by the mid-courters to score 66 goals.
Just as importantly, the Flat defence held the maroon and blue to a tally of 49.
There were hiccups for the Roos and Dragons in the run to the finals.
Kangaroo Flat was beaten 40-45 on Gisborne’s court at Gardiner Reserve in the 16th round.
On the eve of finals a 47-46 defeat for Sandhurst at Castlemaine sent the reigning premier from top of the ladder to a qualifying final berth.
The Roos and Dragons will also contest the A-reserve second semi-final.
In round four it was Kangaroo Flat which blitzed the Dragons, 60-30 at the QEO.
Scores were 41-all at the end of the next showdown in the 13th round on the Kangaroos’ court.
Sandhurst scored a 41-33 victory against Gisborne in last Saturday’s qualifying final.
The B-grade second semi features Sandhurst up against Kangaroo Flat.
The maroon and blue have won both hit-outs with the Roos by margins of 18 goals and a goal.
Fans witnessed a dramatic qualifying final in which Kangaroo Flat fought for a 46-45 win against Gisborne.
In B-reserve, Sandhurst will start favourite against Gisborne.
The Dragons won their first match of the season at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve by 39 goals.
In the 10th round, Sandhurst beat the red, white and blue, 46-45.
Gisborne began the finals with a 49-44 win against Kangaroo Flat last Saturday.
First of the second semis will be the unbeaten Gisborne against Sandhurst in the 17-and-under match.
The Bulldogs have beaten the Dragons by margins of 33 and 25 goals.
Sandhurst scored a 42-37 victory against Kangaroo Flat in the qualifying final.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval:
17-under 10am: Gisborne v Sandhurst.
B-reserve at 11.20am: Sandhurst v Gisborne.
B-grade at 12.40pm: Sandhurst v Kangaroo Flat.
A-reserve at 2pm: Kangaroo Flat v Sandhurst.
A-grade at 3.20pm: Kangaroo Flat v Sandhurst.
Written by Nathan Dole.
