BY NATHAN DOLE
NORTH Bendigo’s winning streak against Heathcote rolled on in Saturday’s 17th round of Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy action.
It was second against first as North Bendigo took on the Saints in Pigeon Park at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Saints were also striving to mark an unbeaten run on home turf.
The Saints did plenty of atacking in the first term, but rued missed chances.
At the first break, North Bendigo led 4.1 (25) to 2.6 (18).
In the second it was the Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs who unleashed one of their best quarters of the season.
North Bendigo slammed on nine goals straight as the Saints scored 3.1.
The Dogs held a seven-goal buffer by half-time.
Heathcote hit back to win the third term, 28-19, but North’s incredible accuracy capped off the high workrate of its midfield and on-ballers.
The Bulldogs scored 5.0 to 4.3 in the last to complete a 21.2 (128) to 13.14 (92) victory.
Dylan Klemm kicked a team-high four goals for North Bendigo as Billy Robertson added three.
Heathcote’s attack was led by Corey Grindlay, four, and Braden Padmore, three.
For the second week running, Bulldogs’ ruckman Jeremy Lambden was best afield as Dylan Klemm, Nathan Newlan, Billy Robertson, Nic Waterson and Jordan Ford also starred.
Best for Heathcote were on-ballers Liam Jacques and Braden Padmore, Joseph Beedle, Connor Hamilton, Billy and Codie Price.
Heathcote has not beaten North Bendigo since the 2013 season.
A great run by Leitchville Gunbower in the second half of the season kept rolling.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers marked their final match of the home and away series with a hard-fought 11 point win against Colbinabbin at Gunbower.
The LG line-up led 38-20 at quarter-time, but Colbinabbin hit back to win the second term, 3.3 to 2.1.
A 10-point lead for the Bombers at half-time grew by 11 as they scored 4.3 to 2.4 in the third term.
The Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin finished strongly to win the last, 26-16, but it was Leitchville Gunbower which won 94-83.
Chris Horman kicked five goals for the Bombers as Lachlan Sverns, four; Billy Hawken, three; and Oskar Smartt, two, were also on target.
Colbinabbin’s attack was led by Clint Shields and Wade Broadstock on three each.
Best for the Bombers were Lachlan Sverns, Jobee Warde, Chris Horman, Billy Hawken, Jye Keath and Clay McGregor.
Ben Barton, Jed Brain, Aidan Basile, Jude Ryan, David Price and Laine Fitzgerald played well for the Grasshoppers.
After a 0-4 start, Leitchville Gunbower ends the home and away series on a 9-7 record and in fifth place.
The Bombers will be sweating on a Mount Pleasant win against Lockington Bamawm United next Saturday.
Lockington Bamawm United turned a three-point deficit at half-time into a six-goal win at Elmore.
It was the Mick Woolhouse-coached Elmore which started well to win the first term, 20-13.
LBU hit back to score 1.5 to 1.1 in the second.
Desperate for victory to stay in touch with the top five, LBU lifted its play in the second half.
The Stacy Fiske-coached Cats scored 5.1 in quarters three and four as Anthony McMahon kicked a match-high four goals.
At the final siren, LBU led 13.8 (86) to 7.8 (50).
Other multiple goalkickers for LBU were Charlie Hinks, Thomas Leech and Riley McIvor on two.
There were no multiple goalkickers for the Bloods.
Best for LBU were Anthony McMahon, Brock Kennedy, Baxter Anderson, Tyler Phillips, Riley McIvor and Bowden Stone.
Nathan Kay, Darcy Laffy, Daniel Russell, Jack Trewick, Rhys Holmberg and Jordan Thomson played well for Elmore.
Defensive actions were a highlight for White Hills in the big win at home against Huntly in the Demons’ den at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street.
The Demons were fired up after a loss at North Bendigo the previous round and scored 5.3 to 1.3 in the opening term.
A tally of 7.4 to 1.1 in the second put the red and black well in control.
Led by the play of Liam Bartels, Mitch Dole and gun forward Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills added 7.3 to 1.1 in the third quarter.
The Demons’ dominance through midfield and at stoppages kept rolling.
Only downside was a return of 2.10 in the final term.
Antonowicz finished with a match-high six goals and Cohen Kekich added five as White Hills won 21.20 (146) to 3.7 (25).
Other multiple goalkickers were James Davies, four, and Nic Warnock, two.
Goalkickers for Huntly were Abe Sladden, co-coach Harry Whittle, and Lachy Wilson.
Best for a Demons’ team jointly coached by Jack Fallon and Jake Pallpratt included James Davies, Jake Miller and Nic Wallace.
Tori Ferguson, Jackson Fry, Steve Kairn, Harrison Campbell, Josh Hull and Abe Sladden were best in a Hawks’ line-up jointly coached by Jayden Cordy.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Heathcote 136 per cent, 48 points; North Bendigo 135, 48; White Hills 151, 44; Mount Pleasant 156, 36; Leitchville Gunbower 93, 36; Lockington Bamawm United 106, 32; Colbinabbin 84, 14; Elmore 61, 10; Huntly 41, 4.
The 18th and final round in the home and away series will be played next Saturday.
Mount Pleasant plays Lockington Bamawm United at Toolleen.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks meet Heathcote at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
North Bendigo faces Elmore at Hibo Hotel Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
Colbinabbin is home at M.J. Morgan Oval to take on White Hills.
Leitchville Gunbower has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
66 Ben Weightman, Mount Pleasant.
62 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
56 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
50 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
47 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
44 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
36 Antony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
33 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
32 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
29 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
29 Braden Padmore, Heathcote.
26 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
25 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
23 Lachlan Sverns, Leitchville Gunbower.
22 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
21 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
20 James Davies, White Hills.
19 Aarryn Craig, North Bendigo.
19 Laine Fitzgerald, Colbinabbin.
18 Adam Baird, Mount Pleasant.
18 Jed Brain, Colbinabbin.
18 Darcy Laffy, Elmore.
17 Victor Butler, Heathcote.
17 Jai Carn, Colbinabbin.
17 Brodie Collins, Lockington Bamawm United.
16 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
16 Riley McIvor, Lockington Bamawm United.
16 Tyler Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
16 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
16 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
15 Jacob Styles, Elmore.
14 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
14 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
14 Riley McNamara, Mount Pleasant.
13 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
13 Liam Jacques, Heathcote.
13 Nic Warnock, White Hills.