FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
Yinnar did what we all knew they would – but maybe not impressively as expected – as they accounted for cellar dweller Boolarra, 11.28 (94) to 2.0 (12).
It was never going to be an easy day for Boolarra as they came into the match off their lowest score in more than five decades against Yallourn/Yallourn North.
To their credit, the home side wasn’t blown away early and managed to score their first goal in two weeks while keeping the visitors to four.
Yinnar started to apply pressure in the second quarter but it wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard – 13 shots on goal for a return of four goals and nine behinds.
For the Demons Sam Mazou, Daniel Wilson, Matt Buglisi, Tom Reinske, Daniel Brick and Simon Buglisi battled well.
Lincoln Albanese finished the day with four goals and best on ground Matt Dyke three but the efforts of Emerson Hicks, Brendan Chapman, Dean Linton, and Mark Stolk deserved better returns.
“[Boolarra] had plenty of numbers behind the ball and the ground was a little boggy but I just didn’t feel our boys come to play,” Yinnar coach Jaime Aitken said.
“We need to improve and we also need to get some more players off the injury list.
“We were just missing goals but most of our shots were wide and crumbing attempts but it’s an area we definitely need to work on.”
Mirboo North v YYN
Mirboo North defeated league leaders Yallourn/Yallourn North by just five points in a thriller on Saturday, 11.14 (80) to 11.9 (75).
The foundation for this much-anticipated clash had been set over the past month with both teams accounting for every team they met.
There was plenty of free-flowing football in the opening term with both sides finding targets and goals.
The visitors had five on the board by quarter-time while Mirboo North had three and were well and truly in touch.
At half-time, the home side had edged two points closer to close the margin to 10 points.
Damien Turner, Mitchell Wightman, Josh Taylor, Jake Nash, Ben Stoertebecker and Tim Trail were just a handful of players who were up for the challenge.
Yallourn/Yallourn North had broken sides in the third quarter previously – Trafalgar the most recent – who were no match for the relentless run and pressure of a very talented side.
This day was to be different, however, as the Tigers did what they can do and took the game by the scruff of the neck and hung on for all it was worth.
By three-quarter-time the reigning premiers had showcased their best football of the year and turned the 10-point deficit to an eight-point lead at the final break.
The Bombers were to be well served by playing-coach Barrie Burnett, Stephen Pearson, Mitchell Luck, Dale Walshe, Rohan Reid and Josh Marshal, but it was not enough.
Dean Macdonald and Keenan Hughes, who last week converted 22 goals between them, this week managed just four with Tim Phillips and Tyler Brown also kicking two each.
For Mirboo North, Tim Trail finished the day with three goals, Ben Stoertebecker two, and another six individual goalkickers were an accurate reflection of the many contributors in the side.
Mirboo North have gone from appearing to be suffering a premiership hangover to being a genuine contender in the space of five weeks.
The Tigers now turn at the half-way mark within striking distance of those above them and with some breathing space from those below them.
Yarragon v Hill End
Yarragon made it a rare two wins in a row when they accounted for Hill End on Saturday, 11.10 (76) to 9.6 (60).
Two wins in succession have been few and far between for the Panthers if they were to be any chance of finding their way into finals contention.
The Panthers jumped out of the blocks impressively and a 20-point quarter-time lead was just reward for a solid opening term.
It appeared the home side had come to play with Tom Follet, Devin Pollock, Jake Cropley, Dean O’Connell, James Harvey and Mike Whyte leading the way.
Hill End regained their composure in the second term and although the half-time margin increased to 25 points there were some signs the Rovers were willing to fight this one out.
Ambu Uliando has been good all year and that form continued on the weekend.
He was supported by the likes of Luke Mulqueen, Isaac Ketchen, Ben Rotheram, Justin Rea and Sven Batten but it just was not enough.
“To their credit they came back at us hard but you just can’t afford to take your foot off the pedal,” Panthers coach Rob Cahill said.
“But good sides need to push on and not give opportunities like we did but we got the four points and learnt a lesson as well.
“We have a few sore bodies at the moment so the break is coming at the right time [to] give the guys a chance to have a rest but after that we really would like to make it three in a row.”
Thorpdale v Newborough
Thorpdale did just what they needed to do to defeat Newborough, 8.13 (61) to 3.11 (29).
In their no frills style the Blues opened the game well and earned a three-goal lead at quarter-time.
The visitors could not find a way to goal and by half-time the Bulldogs had only managed the one major with a lack of capable forwards proving to be a big problem for them this year.
For the Blues, Corey Nickels, Brett Gatehouse, Luke Collie, Brad Atkinson, Chris Redl and Gavin Low were leading the way with Redl also grabbing three goals along the way.
“It was a pretty scrappy sort of game and they were hanging on well but we got a couple of late goals which gave us the break,” Thorpdale coach Josh Collie said.
“We’re in a good position and the break has come at the right time but we’re well placed to have a go at the top three spot.”
Trafalgar v Morwell East
Trafalgar flexed their muscle late in the game to run out comfortable victors over Morwell East, 17.12 (114) to 6.7 (43).
The visitors opened more impressively and lead by a goal at quarter-time.
The Bloods got their head in the game during the second quarter and regained control and added five goals while keeping Morwell East to just two behinds.
The match turned on its head in the matter of just 25 minutes.
Trafalgar’s Matt Van Schajik, Jace Butler, Lochlan Farrell, Darcy Brock, Ash James and Jamie Hines were a few of the better contributors as the home side played their ground well and used the open space to cut through the Hawks.
“We were happy with the second half … we played really good football and despite a couple of incidents we kept improving as the game went on, so we are well placed [or] maybe even ahead of where we planned to be at the half-way mark of the season,” Bloods coach Clint Einsiedel said.
“We were a little soft around the ball and in fairness they were hard at it but we slowly started to get on top.”
