SOUTH Bendigo fought from a 13-point deficit at the start of the final term to win by three points at Kyneton in round four of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s senior footy season on Saturday.
There was plenty at stake between two teams who are likely to be fighting to occupy the fourth and fifth rungs and a place in the finals series.
The Nathan Horbury-coached South Bendigo led 26-18 at quarter-time, but the Tigers fought back to make it 47-all by the long break.
Led by the play of Dean Bartrop, Frazer Driscoll and Andrew Beckerley, the Paul Chapman-coached Kyneton won the crucial third term, 33-20.
The Bloods lifted their intensity and workrate at stoppages and through the midfield in the last to score 3.5 to 1.1 as they surged to a 90-87 victory.
It was a superb effort by Alexander Smith and the in-form Brock Harvey to kick three goals apiece in a contest where gun forward Kaiden Antonowicz was goalless.
Nine players featured on the Bloods’ goalkicking list.
Kyneton’s Rhys Magin added to his impressive run in attack with a match-high five goals as Ryan Pretty added four.
Best for the Bloods were Liam Byrne, Oscar White, Isaiah Miller, Thomas Brereton, Michael Herlihy and Alexander Smith.
The Tigers’ best included Hamish Yunghanns, Rhys Magin and Louis Thompson.
After a hard-fought first half, Golden Square charged clear in the second to score a 47-point win at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
A red-hot Golden Square was under the pump for a lot of the opening hour as it led 25-17 at half-time.
It was a superb effort by the Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk which went into the match without key forward Darcy Richards and ruckman/key position player Clayton Holmes.
The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs won the third term, 34-19, and then blitzed in the last to add 5.5 to 1.5.
At the final siren, Golden Square led 13.16 (94) to 6.11 (47).
Joel Brett led the Bulldogs attack on three goals as Liam Barrett, Jayden Burke and Tom Strauch added two each.
Leading goalkickers for the Hawks were Liam Marciano and Corey Roberts, two each.
Bulldogs’ on-baller Ryan Hartley marked his 50th senior match by being best along with the in-form Jake Thrum, Jack Geary, Liam Barrett, Liam Duguid and Tom Strauch.
Best for Eaglehawk were Dylan Hanley, Oscar Madden, Brady Rowles, Lewin Davis, Billy Evans and Noah Wheeler.
Sandhurst marked its first victory of the season in a 131-59 result against Kangaroo Flat at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Dragons won three quarters and tied the other.
Cobi Maxted and Matt Thornton’s marking power was to the fore as they finished with six and five goals respectively as Jake McLean and Alex Wharton added two each.
The Roos’ attack was led by Sam Barnes, three; Kyle Symons and Lachy Wilson, two.
Six-goal hauls in consecutive matches earned Cobi Maxted best afield honours as Noah Walsh, Hamish Hosking, Tanner Nally, Alex Wharton and Cooper Smith played well for the Ash Connick-coached Dragons.
Best for the James Flaherty-coached Kangas were Liam Collins, Hamish O’Brien, Lachy Wilson, Nicholas Lang, Jade Mayes and Sam Barnes.
Strathfieldsaye Storm dominated most of the contest with Castlemaine at Camp Reserve.
The Storm led 45-1 at quarter-time and 63-7 by the long break.
The Don Moran-coached Magpies lifted their play in the third term to score 1.4 as Storm added 3.7.
Storm on-baller Jake Moorhead won plenty of the ball as did Kallen Geary, Thomas Bennett and Riley Clarke as Strathfieldsaye slammed on 5.2 to just two behinds in the final term.
A tally of eight goals put Storm star Lachlan Sharp in second place for the Ron Best Medal as the league’s leading goalkicker.
After a goalless performance at Gisborne the previous round, Castlemaine struck back to score 2.7 as Bradley Keogh and Liam Wilkinson were on target.
Best for the Darryl Wilson and Shannon Geary-coached Storm included Jye Formosa and Lachlan Sharp.
The Magpies’ best were Tommy Horne, Bailey Henderson, Jackson Hood, Liam Wilkinson, Will Moran and Sam Nettleton.
Gisborne passed the 150-point mark once again in a big win on Maryborough’s turf at Princes Park.
Despite going into the match without captain and gun forward Pat McKenna, Gisborne showed it has plenty of attacking power.
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs led 21-1 at quarter-time and then slammed on 10.1 to 1.1 in the second.
Led by a seven-goal haul by Josh Kemp and five majors from Jack Scanlon, Gisborne kicked on to win the clash, 158-17.
The Magpies’ goalkickers were Chris Freeman and Patrick Van der Pol.
Best afield honours went to Josh Kemp as wingman Sam Graham, Matthew Panuccio, Flynn Lakey, Macklan Lord and Matthew Merrett won plenty of the ball for Gisborne.
Thomas Gardam, Ty Stewart, Kya Lanfranchi, Jayden Hooper, Lucas Hurse and Nic Swan were best for the Rick Andrews-coached Maryborough.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Gisborne 462 per cent, 16 points; Golden Square 366, 16; Strathfieldsaye 174, 16; Eaglehawk 113, 8; South Bendigo 76, 8; Sandhurst 103, 4; Kyneton 84, 4; Kangaroo Flat 65, 4; Castlemaine 37, 4; Maryborough 25, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s fifth round will be the showdown between Golden Square and Sandhurst for the Ron Best Memorial Shield on the Bulldogs’ turf at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.
It’s third against first as Strathfieldsaye faces Gisborne on Storm’s turf at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Kangaroo Flat tackles Kyneton on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.
South Bendigo and Castlemaine clash at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Maryborough and Eaglehawk meet in the battle of the boroughs at Princes Park.
Leading goalkickers:
24 Joel Brett, GS.
20 Lachlan Sharp, S’saye.
19 Pat McKenna, Gis.
18 Jayden Burke, GS; Rhys Magin, Kyn.
14 Josh Kemp, Gis.
13 Brock Harvey, SB; Darcy Richards, Eh; Jack Scanlon, Gis.
12 Cobi Maxted, Sh.
10 Ryan Pretty, Kyn.
8 James Schischka, S’saye; Tom Strauch, GS; Lachy Wilson, KF.
7 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Jack Chester, Cm; Ethan Foreman, Gis.; Chris Freeman, Mb; Liam Marciano, Eh; Ben Thompson, Eh; Braydon Vaz, GS.
6 Riley Clarke, S’saye; Bailey Henderson, Cm; Mitch Rovers, KF.
5 Sam Barnes, KF; Brad Bernacki, Gis.; Lewin Davis, Eh; Guy Dickson, Kyn.; Caleb Ernst, S’saye; Mitchell Holt, KF; Kobe Lloyd, Eh; Matthew Panuccio, Gis.; Corey Roberts, Eh; Matt Thornton, Sh; Joel Wharton, Sh; Riley Wilson, S’saye.
Written by Nathan Dole.