-By Nathan Dole
A SEVEN-GOAL haul by Sam Dunstan capped victory for the Harlowe Huntly Hawks against Elmore in Saturday’s third round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The Hawks and Bloods played a superb match at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Elmore led 44-42 at half-time before the Hawks struck back to score 4.5 as it kept the Bloods to a tally of 1.2 in the crucial third term.
Although the Nathan Kay-coached Elmore won the last, 25-16, it was Huntly which took the points in an 87-77 result.
Sam Dunstan led the way for the brown and gold on seven goals as Lachy Wilson added three.
The in-form James Harney kicked four goals for Elmore as Phil Smith chipped in with three.
Best for the Hamish Morcom-coached Huntly were Sam and Nathan Dunstan, Lachy Wilson, Steve Kairn, Flynn Campbell and Abe Sladden.
Elmore’s best were Jake Dick-O’Flaherty, Liam Bianco, Phil Smith, Lachie Munro, Rhys Holmberg and Jarrad Kyne.
Colbinabbin completed an eight-goal turnaround on Lockington’s turf.
The Jayden Howe-coached Lockington Bamawm United dominated the opening quarter in which it score five straight goals and kept the Grasshoppers to a goal.
A more evenly-fought second term went the Cats’ way, 16-15.
In the final hour it was the Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin which clicked in another gear.
The Grasshoppers won the third quarter, 26-2, and then scored 4.8 as LBU was held to a tally of 1.1 in the last.
Isaac Carracher, Nick Knight and Clint Shields were in great form as Colbinabbin kicked on for a 79-55 victory.
The Grasshoppers’ attack was led by Knight and Shields on three goals each.
Leading goalkicker for LBU was Nicholas Sheldon with three.
Colbinabbin’s best included Charles and Sam Ryan, and Matt Riordan.
Best for Lockington Bamawm United were ruckman Tyler Phillips, Matt Hore, Stuart Taylor, Charlie Hinks, Nicholas Sheldon and Bowden Stone.
Mount Pleasant’s hot run rolled on against Leitchville Gunbower.
The match at Toolleen also marked the return of ’23 premiership winning co-coach Adam Baird to the field for the Blues.
Mount Pleasant raced to a 58-19 lead by half-time and then scored seven goals in the third quarter on the way to a 118-32 result.
Mitch Bennett booted six goals as Brodie Leonard-Shannon kicked three and Adam Baird and Joey Bell added two each.
Leading goalkicker for Leitchville Gunbower was Chris Horman on two.
Best for Mount Pleasant were ruckman Chris Down, playing coach Josh Hann, Mitch Bennett, Jesse Tuohey, Bailey White and Joey Bell.
The Blues have Cameron Carter as director of coaching and Adam Baird as midfield coach.
Best for the Shannon Keam-coached Bombers were Charles Hancock, Will Brereton, Kyle Green, Brad Hore, Jett Keam and Jye Keath.
Seven goals by Cody Riddick were among the many highlights for North Bendigo in a 170-point win at White Hills.
Despite a lengthy lay-off because of Easter and a bye, North Bendigo made a flying start to Saturday’s match on the Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street.
The Bulldogs led 37-7 at half-time and then slammed on 11 goals as they kept the Demons scoreless in the second quarter.
Led by the play of ruckman Jordan Hargreaves, midfielder Nick Waterson and the athletic Cody Riddick in attack, North Bendigo scored 8.4 in the third term and 7.4 in the last.
At the final siren the Bulldogs led 31.17 (203) to 5.3 (33).
Riddick kicked seven goals as Jake Dean and Dylan Klemm, four; Tyson Findlay and Darcy Richards, three; capped of their team-mates work.
The Demons’ leading goalkicker was Seth Boyd on two.
Best for a North Bendigo line-up co-coached by Rob Bennett, non-playing, and Ryan Hartley, playing, included Dylan Klemm, Ryan Gillingham, and Ryan Hartley.
Patrick Crawford, Jake Dickens, Seth Boyd, Jack Lawton, Oliver Edmiston and Callum Stewart were best for a White Hills team coached by Ben Taylor, playing, and Brad McConnell, non-playing.
Heathcote had the bye.
In next Saturday’s fourth round, North Bendigo will be on home turf at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street against Huntly from 2.30pm.
Lockington Bamawm United is back home at Lockington to tackle Heathcote in a match where stakes are high in the fight to stay in touch with the top five.
Leitchville Gunbower faces Colbinabbin at Leitchville Recreation Reserve.
Elmore takes on the in-form Mount Pleasant on the Bloods’ turf.
White Hills has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Mount Pleasant 301 per cent, 12 points; North Bendigo 260, 8; Colbinabbin 148, 8; Huntly 106, 8; Elmore 120, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 74, 4; Lockington Bamawm United 72, 4; Heathcote 42, 0; White Hills 35, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
16 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
15 Sam Dunstan, Huntly.
12 James Harney, Elmore.
11 Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Mount Pleasant.
9 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
8 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
6 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
6 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
6 Matt O’Dwyer, Elmore.
6 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
5 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
5 Nick Knight, Colbinabbin.
5 Stuart Taylor, Lockington Bamawm United.
5 Jordan Thomson, Elmore.