FOOTBALL | NGFNL
Sale City consolidated its position on top of the North Gippsland Football Netball League ladder with a 10-point come from behind victory over Traralgon Tyers United, 8.18 (66) to 8.8 (56) on Saturday.
The win puts Sale City at the top of the NGFNL ladder with a healthy percentage, ahead of Woodside and Rosedale which also have two wins.
In a gritty arm-wrestle which neither side dominated until the last five minutes of the match, City stood tall in the time on period of the final quarter and scored two telling goals to claim victory.
“We’ve been working a lot on our game plan,” Bulldogs assistant coach Matt Luzti said.
“Tackling is an important part of that and (senior coach) David Piasente has really instilled that kind of toughness into all of our players.
“We’ve really tried to concentrate getting the one per centers right.
“It was really pleasing to see the way our midfielders moved the ball quickly.”
Neither team was able to gain clear ascendency in the first term.
Fierce tackling and good solid defensive structures at both ends of the ground kept both teams locked in a gruelling stalemate.
Each had chances and blazed away at the big sticks, but most efforts were hampered by inaccurate kicking into a swirly breeze.
At the 12-minute mark Matt Stolarczyk took a strong mark, but failed to capitalise with the subsequent kick for goal.
TTU tried to play a possessive brand of football, rather than going directly to their forwards, but at the cost of landing killer blows.
Tom Wilson took a strong grab at the 22 minute mark, but failed to convert from 50 metres directly in front.
It wasn’t until after the siren that the first goal was scored, when TTU’s Chase Saunders kicked truly from 30 metres out on a 45 degree angle, giving the bombers a three point buffer going into the first huddle.
Three minutes into the second term Saunders goaled again and when Dalton Tripodi slotted another at the 10 minute mark, the Bombers had skipped to a 16 point break.
But at the 15 minute mark, Jake Milham was able to put the first goal on the board for Sale City, and the margin was reduced to two straight kicks.
Lincoln Albanese countered with a strong grab at the 25 minute mark of the term and when he put TTU’s fourth on the board from a tough angle, the Bombers looked to have the answers.
Late goals from Wilson and Jacob Schuback eroded the Bombers’ lead, but a third goal to Saunders gave the Bombers an eight point lead at the main break.
The premiership quarter was a tight struggle and when Beau Bennett nailed one at the five minute mark the doggies were within a kick.
The scoreboard pressure spurred Sale on and the Dogs began to lift their work rate.
City kept peppering the big sticks, but an unyielding TTU defence forced it wide and ensured it was unable to consolidate on forward momentum.
At the other end it was a different story.
Saunders kicked his fourth at the 15 minute mark and looked in match winning form.
A minute later, however, a questionable free kick was awarded to Schuback for holding, 15 metres out directly in front and when he converted the Dogs led by two points.
Five minutes later Schuback had an opportunity to extend Sale’s lead when he took a courageous mark on the paint of 50, but failed to capitalise; Sale went into the three-quarter-time huddle with a one point advantage.
At the start of the fourth quarter neither team looked to have the ascendency.
Ten minutes in, Saunders marked and kicked his fifth for the game in stunning fashion and when Sale’s Tom Bowman was penalised for overstepping the mark, TTU managed to string a couple together and take an 11 point lead.
When Saunders marked and was awarded a 50 metre penalty after a Bulldogs player back-chatted the umpire, he was within range and looked set to kick his sixth to create a 17 point buffer.
However, the kick skewed-off behind the sticks.
A second goal to Milham at the 25 minute mark reduced TTU’s lead to just two points and it was anyone’s game from there.
In a nail-biting finish Sale managed to kick the last two goals of the game in extra-time, securing the Bulldogs a 10 point victory and top spot.
Heyfield bounced back from its round one loss to Rosedale with a convincing 33-point victory against Churchill.
A combined effort from the Woodside forward line steered the Wildcats to a comfortable 49-point victory over Cowwarr.
Yarram pushed reigning premier Rosedale all the way to the final siren in a two-point loss on Demons soil.
In yesterday’s big clash, Glengarry scraped over the line against Gormandale by four points.
NETBALL | RESULTS
A grade
Yarram 28 def by Rosedale 54
Cowwarr 24 def by Woodside 49
Traralgon-Tyers United 28 def by Sale City 48
Churchill 50 def Heyfield 43
Gormandale 41 def by Glengarry 54
B grade
Yarram 20 def by Rosedale 66
Cowwarr 25 def by Woodside 51
Traralgon-Tyers United 45 def Sale City 42
Churchill 29 def by Heyfield 51
Gormandale 21 def by Glengarry 51
C grade
Yarram 28 def by Rosedale 32
Cowwarr 18 def by Woodside 30
Traralgon-Tyers United 18 def by Sale City 32
Churchill 25 def by Heyfield 36
Gormandale 21 def by Glengarry 46
D grade
Yarram 12 def by Rosedale 49
Cowwarr 37 def Woodside 25
Traralgon-Tyers United 22 def by Sale City 37
Churchill 23 def by Heyfield 36
Gormandale 17 def by Glengarry 46
17 and under
Yarram 11 def by Rosedale 58
Cowwarr 13 def by Woodside 40
Traralgon-Tyers United 39 def Sale City 25
Churchill 26 def Heyfield 22
Gormandale 17 def by Glengarry 36
15 and under
Yarram 41 def Rosedale 6
Cowwarr 22 def Woodside 19
Traralgon-Tyers United 30 def Sale City 27
Churchill 14 def by Heyfield 29
Gormandale 9 def by Glengarry 49
