BY NATHAN DOLE
FOR the second time this Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season, Kyneton marked a thrilling senior footy win against Gisborne.
Just three points separated the Tigers and Gisborne at the end of Saturday’s 14th round match at Kyneton Showgrounds.
Victory kept the yellow and black in touch with the fourth and fifth-placed South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye.
It was two wins from as many starts for Kyneton’s interim coach Darren Chambers and ended Gisborne’s winning run at three.
A high-scoring opening term ended with the Tigers in front, 39-31.
Gisborne took charge in the second to score 6.5 to 3.0.
The Brad Fox-coached Gisborne led 86-74 going into the final quarter.
Six straight goals by Kyneton as the Dogs added 3.3 was enough for the Tigers to claw to a 110-107 victory.
Kyneton’s attack was led by Thomas Quinn on four goals as Harrison Sheahan chipped in with three.
The Tigers also had Jordan and Lucas Iudica and Jake Summers boot two goals apiece.
Gisborne’s attack was led by Luke Ellings, four; Brad Bernacki, three; Tom Cassidy, Zac Denahy and Jack Reaper, two.
Best for Kyneton was Lucas Iudica, Bailey McGee, Cameron Manuel, Mason Crozier, Jayden Eales and Ben Cameron.
Luke Ellings, Braidon Blake, Brad Bernacki, Zac Denahy, Matt Weber and Jack Reaper played well for Gisborne.
Eight goals to one in the opening term set up Eaglehawk’s win against Strathfieldsaye at Canterbury Park.
It was a brilliant start by the Travis Matheson-coached Hawks.
Storm surged back into the contest when it scored 6.2 to 3.1 in the second term.
A closely-fought third term also went the way of the Darryl Wilson-coached Strathfieldsaye, 29-26.
Although it was held to just two points in the final term, Eaglehawk’s defensive work to restrict Storm to 1.5 was enough to seal a 98-84 victory.
The Hawks’ attack was led by Lewin Davis and Billy Evans on two as 11 team-mates added a goal.
Leading goalkickers for Storm were James Schischka and captain Lachlan Sharp with three.
Eaglehawk’s best were Charlie Langford, Billy Evans, Noah Wheeler, Lewin Davis, Connor Dalgleish and Jack Thompson.
Luke Webb, Tim Hosking, Mitch Hallinan, Daniel Clohesy, Malik Gordon and Jake Moorhead played well for Storm.
Back To Day for Sandhurst was capped by a 29-point win against South Bendigo at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Sandhurst scored 3.7 to 1.1 in the first term.
The Nathan Horbury-coached South Bendigo fought back strongly to score 3.1 to a point in the second quarter.
A three-point lead for the Dragons at the start of the second half was up to 25 by the end of the third term.
Sandhurst did plenty of attacking for a tally of 3.5 as the Bloods were held to a point.
The game opened up in the last where the maroon and blue added 4.2 to 3.4 for an 80-51 result.
The in-form Andy Collins kicked three goals for Sandhurst, as did Cobi Maxted.
Key forward Lachlan Wright kicked two goals for Sandhurst.
The Bloods’ attack was led by Will Keck and Steven Stroobants on two.
Best for Sandhurst were James Coghlan, Nick Stagg, Sam Conforti, Caleb Connick, Noah Walsh and Bryce Curnow.
Mac Cameron, Tait Poyser, Braydan Torpey, Brody Haddow, Alex Smith and Wil McCaig were the Bloods’ best.
The Sandhurst line-up is coached by Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing.
Kangaroo Flat won a closely-fought contest with Castlemaine on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.
The Jeremy Hayes-coached Roos made a great start to score 5.3 to 2.1 in the first term.
Castlemaine hit back to win the second term, 20-12.
Both teams scored four goals in the third quarter.
Led by the play of R.J. Watson, Zac Rouse and Ryan O’Keefe, Kangaroo Flat added 3.7 to 2.2 in the last to complete a 96-73 victory.
Harry Whitty kicked three goals for the Flat as Luke Foreman, Ethan Roberts and R.J. Watson added two.
Bailey Henderson was in superb form as he kicked seven goals for the Magpies in a best afield performance and Ethan Maltby chipped in with two.
Best for Kangaroo Flat included Liam Collins, Harry Whitty and Aaron Nevins.
Bailey Henderson, Callum McConachy, John Watson, Liam Wilkinson, Brodie Byrne and David Wilson were best for the Brendan Shepherd-coached Castlemaine.
A 12-goal haul by Joel Brett highlighted Golden Square’s big win against Maryborough at Golden Square’s Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.
The Bulldogs led 51-16 at quarter-time and then racked up goal tallies of eight, nine and 11 across the next three quarters.
As it had done earlier in the season, Golden Square surpassed the 200-point mark against the Magpies with a score of 36.18 (234) to 5.11 (41).
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by Joel Brett, 12; Jack Stewart, five; Bailey Cain, Ryan Harley and Hamish Morcom, three.
Zavier Murley and Tom Toma added two goals each.
There was no multiple goalkicker for Maryborough.
Best for Golden Square were Joel Brett, Jake Thrum, Ricky Monti, Jack Stewart, Jack Threlfall and Jack Hickman.
Joel Swatton, Kya Lanfranchi, Kaian Constable, Luke Dunne, Jake Postle and Mitch McClure worked hard for the Coby Perry-coached Magpies.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 206 per cent, 50 points; Golden Square 238, 48; Eaglehawk 195, 38; South Bendigo 131.8, 32; Strathfieldsaye 131.2, 32; Kyneton 83, 28; Gisborne 125, 24; Kangaroo Flat 63, 20; Castlemaine 41, 8; Maryborough 21, 0.
It’s a huge match at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane in the 15th round where Strathfieldsaye Storm faces South Bendigo.
It’s the battle of the Bulldogs as Gisborne hosts Golden Square at Gardiner Reserve.
Castlemaine and Kyneton clash at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
Maryborough is on home turf at Princes Park to play Sandhurst.
Eaglehawk tackles Kangaroo Flat in the Hawks’ nest at Canterbury Park.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
69 Joel Brett, Golden Square.
58 Lachlan Sharp, Strathfieldsaye.
43 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
41 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
35 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
33 Cameron Manuel, Kyneton.
32 Will Keck, South Bendigo.
28 Lewin Davis, Eaglehawk.
27 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
25 Braydon Vaz, Golden Square.
24 Andy Collins, Sandhurst.
22 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
21 Hamish Morcom, Golden Square.
21 Ryan Hartley, Golden Square.
20 Matt Thornton, Sandhurst.
19 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
18 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
18 Thomas Quinn, Kyneton.
17 Cam McGlashan, Eaglehawk.
16 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
16 Tom Toma, Golden Square.
16 Noah Wheeler, Eaglehawk.
15 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
15 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
14 Luke Ellings, Gisborne.
14 Liam Marciano, Eaglehawk.
14 Callum McCarty, Strathfieldsaye.
14 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
13 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
13 Jed Brereton, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
13 Jack Hickman, Golden Square.
13 Dylan Hird, Eaglehawk.
13 Zavier Murley, Golden Square.
13 Jack Reaper, Gisborne.
12 Sam Barnes, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Liam Collins, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Ethan Foreman, Kyneton.
12 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
12 Baxter Slater, Strathfieldsaye.
12 Jake Summers, Kyneton.