MOUNT Pleasant broke North Bendigo’s unbeaten run in a dramatic finish to Saturday’s 14th round in Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy.
The Blues and Bulldogs played out a superb match at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
Mount Pleasant led 44-28 at half-time before the Bulldogs seized control in the third quarter.
As North Bendigo scored 5.4 in term three it kept the Blues to a tally of 1.3.
The Rob Bennett and Ryan Hartley-coached Bulldogs held a nine-point buffer going into the last.
It was Mount Pleasant which did the majority of attacking in a pulsating last quarter.
A tally of 10 scoring shots was a sign of the Blues’ dominance, but North Bendigo stayed in the contest with a score of 2.1.
Mount Pleasant racked up 3.7 in the final term.
A brilliant shot by Tyler McNamara from near the North Bendigo coaches box at the clubrooms end of the ground sailed through to clinch a 78-75 victory for the Blues.
Brilliant small forward Ben Weightman kicked three goals to bring his tally to 20 goals in the four matches he has played since he rejoined Mount Pleasant.
Premiership-winning team-mate Mitch Rovers also capped some fine moves with three goals for the Blues.
North Bendigo’s attack was led by Bailey Cain, Jake Dean and Darcy Richards with two goals.
It was a superb match by Mount Pleasant which had co-coaches Josh Hann and Adam Baird on-field and also has dual premiership coach Cameron Carter as director of coaching.
Best for the Blues were ruckman and co-captain Chris Down, Deklan Wille, co-captain and key defender William Wallace, Mitch Rovers, Riley McNamara and Reardon McIvor.
The Bulldogs’ best were Ryan Gillingham, Ryan Hartley, Jordan Ford, Jordan Hargreaves, Bailey Cain and Matt Gray.
Just days after announcing Brad McConnell would stay on to coach next season, Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons upset the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
It was a high-scoring contest in the Demons’ den in Scott Street.
Huntly raced to a 39-21 lead at quarter-time before the Demons fought back to win the second term, 35-26.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Huntly opened up a 20-point lead going into the last as it scored 4.1 in the third and held the red and black to a tally of 2.2.
In the last it was a Demons team coached by Ben Taylor, playing, and Brad McConnell, non-playing, which unleashed arguably its best quarter of the season.
White Hills slammed on 7.4 and kept Huntly to a tally of 3.4.
A fifth goal by Demons’ captain Cohen Kekich on the siren sealed a 116-112 victory for the red and black.
Taylor capped a best-on-ground performance with four goals.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Demons were Mitch Dole and Patrick Eefting on two.
Huntly gun forward Sam Dunstan kicked nine goals and leads the goalkicking race on 59.
Deacon Wheelhouse booted three goals for the brown and gold.
Best for White Hills were Ben Taylor, key defender Patrick Crawford, Liam Monaghan, ruckman Jack Lawton, Jake Thompson and Jarrell Ratcliffe.
Sam Dunstan, Jacob Greenwood, ruckman Nathan Dunstan, Harry Whittle, captain Steve Kairn and Darby Walsh were Huntly’s best.
In front by a point going into the last term, Leitchville Gunbower was up by 29 about half an hour later in its clash with Heathcote at Gunbower.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers led 28-15 at half-time, but the Saints fired up to score 4.3 in the third as the LG team scored 2.3.
Just as did in its round five win on Heathcote’s turf at Pigeon Park, Leitchville Gunbower dominated the final term of the latest contest.
The Bombers added four goals and kept the Saints scoreless on the way to a 71-42 victory.
Bryce Barnstable led Leitchville Gunbower’s attack on three goals as Tom Brereton, Blake Dye and Austin Windridge added two each.
Heathcote gun recruit Dylan Johnstone again led the forward line on three goals as Jackson Jones booted two majors.
Best for the Bombers were Max Hagan, Bryce Barnstable, Jye Smith, Josh Hawken, Ben Embleton and Austin Windridge.
One of many youngsters in Heathcote’s team, Elijah Hurley was best.
The consistent Jackson Jones and Rhys Bolton played well as did Ben Connelly, Will Tobin and Codie Price for the Andrew Saladino and Liam Jacques-coached Heathcote.
A 10-goal haul by Brandyn Grenfell was one of many highlights in Colbinabbin’s big win on Elmore’s ground.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin led 21-13 at quarter-time and then added seven goals as it kept the Bloods scoreless in term two.
Nathan Basile, Dean Smith and Angus Martin won many possessions from which Grenfell capitalised plenty of times as the Grasshoppers skipped away to a 163-26 victory.
Multiple goalkickers for the green and gold were Brandyn Grenfell, 10; Alex Carr, five; Nick Knight, four; and Nathan Basile, three.
There were four goalkickers for the Bloods.
Colbinabbin’s best included Will Lowe, Brandyn Grenfell and Alex Carr.
Best for Elmore were Matt O’Dwyer, coach Nathan Kay, Lachie Munro, Thomas Hughes, Cobi Fitzpatrick and Jack Smith.
Lockington Bamawm United had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
North Bendigo 248 per cent, 44 points; Colbinabbin 204, 40; Mount Pleasant 152, 40; Huntly 103, 30; Leitchville Gunbower 104, 26; Elmore 58, 16; Lockington Bamawm United 74, 14; White Hills 50, 8; Heathcote 64, 6.
Match of the day in next Saturday’s round 15 action will be Colbinabbin on its ground at M.J. Morgan Oval against North Bendigo as second tackles first from 2.30pm.
It’s Memorial Day for Heathcote Football Netball Club as it hosts Elmore at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
Mount Pleasant tackles Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons in Toolleen.
Lockington Bamawm United meets Leitchville Gunbower in the clash of the Cats and Bombers at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks have the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
59 Sam Dunstan, Huntly.
48 Brandyn Grenfell, Colbinabbin.
37 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
35 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
33 Dylan Johnstone, Heathcote.
32 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
30 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
30 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
30 Nick Knight, Colbinabbin.
26 James Harney, Elmore.
24 Darcy Richards, North Bendigo.
23 Brodie-Leonard-Shannon, Mount Pleasant.
20 Ben Weightman, Mount Pleasant.
18 Blake Dye, Leitchville Gunbower.
18 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
16 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
16 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
16 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
15 Matt Butler, Lockington Bamawm United.
15 Liam Dillon, North Bendigo.
15 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
15 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
14 Matt O’Dwyer, Elmore.
14 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
14 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
14 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
13 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
13 Jackson Jones, Heathcote.
13 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
13 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
13 Jack Teasdale, Mount Pleasant.
12 Tom Brereton, Leitchville Gunbower.
11 Adam Baird, Mount Pleasant.
11 Patrick Eefting, White Hills.
11 Ibrahim Taha, Heathcote.
11 Ben Taylor, White Hills.
11 Jake Thompson, White Hills.
10 Liam Bianco, Elmore.
10 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
10 Lachie Gawel, Elmore.
10 Bart Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
10 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.