BY NATHAN DOLE
Gisborne wins dramatic clash with Sandhurst
GISBORNE withstood a late-quarter charge to end Sandhurst’s unbeaten run in Saturday’s 11th round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.
The Bulldogs and Dragons played out a match worthy of the top-two billing at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
Four goals as it kept the visitors to just one in the second term put Gisborne up by 13 points of half-time in a hard-fought contest.
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs then scored 3.5 to 1.3 in the third.
Sandhurst’s play lifted dramatically in the final term.
The Dragons faced a 27-point deficit, but teamed brilliantly to score five goals.
At that point Gisborne had booted the one major as scores were on 61-all.
The Dogs steadied to score consecutive goals before Sandhurst booted the final goal.
At the siren Gisborne led 73-67.
Premiership-winning captain of two years ago, Pat McKenna capped a brilliant match with five goals for the red, white and blue.
Harry Luxmoore kicked two goals for Gisborne.
The Dragons’ attack was led by Fergus Greene on four goals as Tanner Nally added two.
Best afield honours went to Pat McKenna as Zach Vescovi, Jack Reaper, Brad Bernacki, Flynn Lakey and Jack Scanlon also starred for Gisborne.
Lachlan Tardrew, James Coghlan, Charlie Robinson, Fergus Greene, Lachie Hood and Zach Pallpratt were best for the Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Sandhurst.
Strathfieldsaye responded to a fierce challenge from Golden Square to take the points on Storm’s turf at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Scores were locked on 39-all at three quarter-time.
In the last it was the Luke Freeman-coached Storm which started to control a lot more of the play.
Storm scored four unanswered goals to complete a 63-40 victory.
Jed Daniels and James Schischka kicked two goals in the testing conditions.
A match-high three goals by Jack Stewart put him among the best for the blue and gold.
Storm’s charge to victory was led by Daniel Clohesy, Patrick Blandford, Bode Stevens, Lachlan Ratcliffe, Cooper Jones and Tim Hosking.
Ricky Monti, Jack Stewart, Luke Holt, Lachlan Humprhey and Tanner Rayner were best for the Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs.
Playing in defence, Melvic Pambai marked his first senior game for Golden Square by being among the best.
A resurgent Castlemaine moved within four points of the fifth-placed Golden Square.
Seven goals to nil in the opening term put the Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine on track to victory against South Bendigo at Camp Reserve.
The Magpies scored 10 goals and kept the Bloods goalless in the first half.
By the long break the black and white led 67-5.
It was a more event contest in the second half as both teams scored 25 points.
Kalan Huntly went on to kick a match-high three goals as Michael Hartley, captain Bailey Henderson and Tyson Hickey kicked two each in a 92-30 result.
There were no multiple goalkickers for the Bloods.
Castlemaine’s best were Callum McConachy, Lloyd Butcher, Liam Wilkinson, Brodie Byrne, Zavier Murley and Harrison Sheahan.
Anthony Zimmerman, Zac Hare, co-coach Isaiah Miller, Alex Smith, Darcy Backway and Brody Haddow were best for a Bloods line-up which has Steven Stroobants as co-coach.
Kangaroo Flat bounced back to the winners’ list as it scored 19.12 (126) to 7.6 (48) against Maryborough at Dower Park.
The Michael Ellings-coached Roos were desperate for the premiership points, but also for a match as it lent six players to an injury-hit Maryborough.
A closely-fought first quarter went Flat’s way, 31-19.
The Roos scored three goals in the second, but the Magpies worked hard to add two majors.
A 21-point lead for Kangaroo Flat at half-time became 49 by the last change after it slammed on seven goals in the third quarter.
Ethan Roberts, Luke Ellings and Isaac Lowndes kept winning plenty of the footy as the Roos kicked on to victory.
The talented Harry Whitty kicked five goals and the classy Jack Lefroy added four.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Roos were Luke Ellings and Jake Hywood on three.
Magpies’ co-coach Matt Johnston kicked three goals.
The Roos’ best included Toby Roberts, Jack Lefroy and Campbell Smith.
Maryborough co-coach Coby Perry, Kya Lanfranchi, Joel Swatton, Aidan Medlyn, Seb Collins and Josh Britten played well in the team’s most competitive hit-out in many weeks.
Eaglehawk had the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 293 per cent, 36 points; Gisborne 216, 32; Strathfieldsaye 175, 32; Eaglehawk 141, 20; Golden Square 118, 20; Castlemaine 113, 16; Kangaroo Flat 63, 12; South Bendigo 68, 8; Maryborough 14, 0.
Because of next Saturday’s inter-league clash with the Victorian Amateurs at Elsternwick Park in Brighton there will be no play in the Bendigo FNL.
Round 12 will be played on July 13.
A big clash will be Eaglehawk against Strathfieldsaye on the Borough’s Canterbury Park oval from 2.20pm.
Golden Square takes on a resurgent Castlemaine at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat clash at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
Maryborough faces Gisborne in the Magpies’ nest at Princes Park.
Sandhurst has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
56 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
43 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
34 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
34 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
34 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
29 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
27 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
26 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
22 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
21 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
20 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
20 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
19 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
18 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
18 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
17 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
17 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
15 Abe Sheahan, Strathfieldsaye.
14 Bryce Curnow, Sandhurst.
13 Zac Greeves, Castlemaine.
13 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
13 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
12 Lachlan Gill, Strathfieldsaye.
12 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
11 Zach Charles, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
11 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
10 Joel Mullen, Eaglehawk.
10 Mitchell Ronchieri, Eaglehawk.
10 Tom Strauch, Golden Square.
10 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.