BY NATHAN DOLE
GOLDEN Square ended Sandhurst’s unbeaten streak in Saturday’s 12th round of senior footy action in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.
The Bulldogs and Dragons met in the clash of second and first at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
It was the Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Sandhurst which made a hot start as it scored 6.1 to 2.1 in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs fought back brilliantly to score 5.2 to 2.0 in the second and draw within four points by the long break.
Quarter three was marked by plenty of attacking by both teams.
The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs scored 4.4 as Sandhurst added 3.5.
In front 73-72 at the start of the final term, Golden Square then dominated most of the last 30 minutes of the match.
The blue and gold scored 3.5 and kept the Dragons scoreless to complete a 96-72 victory.
Joel Brett kicked six goals for the Bulldogs as Liam Barrett, Hamish Morcom and Jack Stewart added two each.
Now back at Sandhurst full-time after a stint with Essendon in the VFL, Sam Conforti led the Dragons’ attack on four goals as Jake McLean and Lachlan Wright chipped in with two.
Best for the Bulldogs were ruckman Matt Compston, Jon Coe, Tom Toma, Jack Geary, Joel Brett and Ricky Monti.
Sam Conforti, Bryce Curnow, Lachlan Tardrew, James Coghlan, Hamish Hosking and Lachie Hood were Sandhurst’s best.
Gisborne stunned Eaglehawk on the Borough’s turf at Canterbury Park.
The Brad Fox-coached Bulldogs won every quarter on their way to a seven-goal win against the Hawks.
Gisborne led 21-7 at quarter-time and 44-26 by the main break.
The Travis Matheson-coached Hawks did lift to score 3.3 in the third, but the Dogs had the answers as they added 5.3.
A 28-point lead for Gisborne at the start of the last was 42 by the end after it scored 4.2 to 2.0.
A 101-59 result in Gisborne’s favour was in stark contrast to round three when Eaglehawk won by 49 points at Gardiner Reserve.
Back at Gisborne after playing most of the VFL season with Essendon, Brad Bernacki kicked four goals in a best afield performance on Saturday.
Captain Jack Reaper kicked three goals for the Bulldogs.
The Hawks’ attack was led by Lewin Davis on four.
Gisborne’s best were Brad Bernacki, Macklan Lord, Braidon Blake, Matt Weber, Ben Eales and Seb Bell-Bartels.
Dylan Hanley, Cam McGlashan, Lewin Davis, Kallen Geary, Billy Evans and Noah Wheeler were Eaglehawk’s best.
It was a case of almost for Maryborough in its clash with Kangaroo Flat at Dower Park.
The Coby Perry-coached Maryborough played brilliant football to lead at each of the quarter breaks by margins of nine, six and seven points.
As had happened a couple of times previously, Maryborough could not stop the opposition’s charge in the final term.
On Saturday it was the Jeremy Hayes-coached Kangaroos who scored 3.10 to a goal in the final term to mark a 75-60 victory.
Multiple goalkickers for the Kangaroos were Liam Collins, three; Nic Keogh and Harry Whitty, two.
The Magpies’ attack was led by Taj Bond on four.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Liam Collins, Jordan and Zac Rouse, Ethan Roberts, Ryan O’Keefe and Nic Keogh.
Kya Lanfranchi, Taj Bond, Tom Myers, Joel Swatton, Lucas Hurse and Darcy Bond played well for the Magpies.
South Bendigo marked the trek to Kyneton Showgrounds by scoring a 107-point win against the Tigers.
The Nathan Horbury-coached Bloods scored 7.4 to just three behinds in the first term.
By half-time South Bendigo held an eight-goal lead.
Steven Stroobants went on to kick a match-high five goals and Brock Harvey added four as the Bloods won 21.14 (140) to 4.9 (33).
Other multiple goalkickers for South Bendigo were Sam Langley, three, and Daniel Johnstone, two.
Cameron Manuel kicked two goals for the Tigers.
Best for the Bloods were ruckman Mac Cameron, Oscar White, Riley Walsh, Sam Langley, Brock Harvey and Andrew van Heumen.
Jye Chambers, Cameron Manuel, Harrison Sheahan, Brady Muir, Jordan Iudica and Charlie Thompson were best for the Paul Chapman-coached Tigers.
An 11-goal haul by Strathfieldsaye captain Lachlan Sharp highlighted Storm’s big win at home against Castlemaine at Triple M Park.
Storm led 32-7 at quarter-time and 76-28 by the long break.
It was an 80-point lead for Strathfieldsaye at a quarter to go.
The final term was to be one of the best of the season for the Brendan Shepherd-coached Magpies as they scored 5.4 to 4.0.
The other multiple goalkicker for Storm in the 139-69 victory was Bode Stevens on a day where the team had 11 goalkickers.
Castlemaine’s attack was led by Riley Pedretti, three; Brad Keogh and John Watson, two.
Best for the Darryl Wilson-coached Storm were Lachlan Sharp, Riley Wilson, Daniel Clohesy, Lachlan Gill, Luke Webb and Malik Gordon.
Nic Woodman, Bailey Henderson, John Watson, Callum McConachy, Matt Filo and Riley Pedretti played well for the Magpies.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 214 per cent, 42 points; Golden Square 222, 40; South Bendigo 152, 32; Strathfieldsaye 142, 32; Eaglehawk 193, 30; Gisborne 125, 20; Kyneton 75, 20; Kangaroo Flat 60, 16; Castlemaine 41, 8; Maryborough 20, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s round 13 action will be South Bendigo against Golden Square at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
On the rebound from its first defeat, Sandhurst faces Strathfieldsaye at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Maryborough tackles Kyneton at Maryborough’s Princes Park.
A resurgent Gisborne and Kangaroo Flat clash at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
Castlemaine is on home turf at Camp Reserve to take on Eaglehawk.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
55 Joel Brett, Golden Square.
55 Lachlan Sharp, Strathfieldsaye.
38 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
37 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
32 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
29 William Keck, South Bendigo.
27 Cameron Manuel, Kyneton.
23 Lewin Davis, Eaglehawk.
21 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
20 Matt Thornton, Sandhurst.
20 Braydon Vaz, Golden Square.
18 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
17 Andy Collins, Sandhurst.
17 Ryan Hartley, Golden Square.
16 Cam McGlashan, Eaglehawk.
16 Hamish Morcom, Golden Square.
16 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
15 Thomas Quinn, Kyneton.
15 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
14 Callum McCarty, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Dylan Hird, Eaglehawk.
13 Liam Marciano, Eaglehawk.
13 Noah Wheeler, Eaglehawk.