By Michael Hankin

REDAN survived a late charge by East Point to get a two-point victory in the Ballarat Football League at City Oval on Saturday.

East Point almost snatched the unlikeliest of victories after Rhys Monument put it in front deep into time-on in the last quarter.

However, as he had done all day Redan’s Brenton Riordan bobbed up at the right time with his sixth goal to put the Lions back in front just in time to hear the final siren.

Redan seemed to have capitalised on its opportunities early – leading by 35 points at half-time and three quarter time.

With Matthew Cullinan and Paul Koderenko engaging in a fascinating ruck duel, it was in many ways a matter of which team could get on top in the midfield.

When the game was there to be won, Redan had the personnel on hand to get the job done, albeit just. 

A reasonably positive Glenn Wilkins conceded Redan were the better side for the majority of the contest, but also said the Kangaroos could find plenty of positives in their performance. 

“At the end of the day we could have stolen it.

“Redan were the better side for three quarters,” he said. 

“It seemed like early in the game the boys maybe didn’t really have the belief that we could win.

“From our point of view we need to get better at not letting the game get away from us when things aren’t going our way.

“In terms of positives, the last quarter was definitely one, and we now need to take that momentum into next week,” Wilkins said. 

Redan coach Eamonn Gill highlighted the change he had noticed between his side’s first and second half performances. 

“We played a really good first half of footy.

“We really couldn’t have been happier with the way we played.

“In the second half, however, we went away from the way we wanted to do, which was partly due to East Point getting back on top and being able to play their running style of game which we had done so well to negate in the first half.”

This leaves East Point with one win in what has been a frustrating start to the season. The Kangaroos have also lost to North Ballarat City by 13 points and and Ballarat by nine  – others matches they could easily have won as well.

They now play Melton at Melton in another tricky assignment.

LAKE WENDOUREE 14.19 (103) D DARLEY 14.9  (93)

By Tyler Maher

NATHAN Pring became the match-winner as Lake Wendouree kept its unbeaten run intact against reigning premier Darley in the Ballarat Football League at Darley on Saturday.

Pring kicked a telling three goals for Lakers in the last quarter as they took the honours by 10 points.

It was a case of déjà vu for Darley, which was in search of a season jump-starting win.

For the second running it was a last-quarter cameo by an opposition forward that brought undone a valiant try by Darley and delivered a disappointing loss.

Pring’s majors ensured Lakers put another dagger through the hearts of the Devils faithful.

Andrew Pitson and Lucas Anderson dominated up forward for Lake Wendouree at various stages throughout the match.

While Darley was able to hold the duo relatively quiet in the last quarter, it was Pring who electrified the Laker forward line when it counted most. He was dangerous at every contest, with Darley unable to stop him.

Darley began the day the better – showing a ferocity rarely seen in its previous four outings.

Lake Wendouree was able to go toe-to-toe with the Devils though – leading to an aggressive and bruising affair, and igniting images of two heavyweight boxers going at it.

A vocal crowd certainly got its money’s worth, with momentum swinging back and forth wildly for the whole match until Pring made his mark

For the victors, Steve Clifton was at his evergreen best along with Pitson, Anderson (three goals) and Ben Taylor.

Scott MacAllester was monumental for the Devils, rarely losing a ruck contest in a dominant display. 

Steve Kennedy was brilliant again, along with Luke Delahey and Jarrod Edwards, while Harley Inglis booted five goals in a strong display up forward for Darley.

It does not get any easier for either team next week in what is developing into an intriguing season.

Lake Wendouree will home to North Ballarat City in a blockbuster clash of the last two undefeated teams.

Darley will make a trip west for the first time this season to take on Redan as it desperately tries to get its season back on track after consecutive defeats at the hands of Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury and now Lake Wendouree. The Devils’ only win has come against a hapless Melton South in the opening week.

Lakers are cruising after wins over Redan, Ballarat and the Devils.

SUNBURY 27.11  (173) D BALLARAT 9.15 (69)

ALIK Magin provided a sample of why Sunbury is so excited about having him in its ranks with a master class against Ballarat in the Ballarat Football League at Alfredton on Saturday.

Magin was the catalyst for a crushing 104-point demolition of the Swans.

The slightly built former Gold Coast Suns-listed player provided the spark to thwart Ballarat’s early challenge and then helped Sunbury pour on 17 goals after half-time. Magin, who crossed from Kyneton this season, was able to wind down late as teammates took their opportunity to shine, but still capped off his own game with four goals.

The Swans were brave for most of the first half – largely through the efforts of Daniel Kennedy, Tom Stapleton and key forward Hayden Hughes. 

However, with Sunbury towering over it Ballarat was always going to be worn down by the likes Josh Burgess, Jack Sheahan and Joe Redfern. Ben Guthrie also showed the benefit of a pre-season with the Geelong VFL squad with five goals.

BACCHUS MARSH 24.12 (156) D MELTON SOUTH 4.10 (34)

DAMIAN Cupido made a sensational start to his career with Bacchus Marsh by kicking 10 goals in the BFL at Melton Recreation Reserve on Saturday.

Signed just days earlier after a fall-out with Airport West in the Essendon District Football League, the former Brisbane and Essendon player provided a sample of what he has to offer the Cobras and needed just three quarters to do it – sitting out the last term.

His potency in front of goal set up a 122-point win over an undermanned Melton South.

There was nothing wrong with the Panthers’ desire, with the scoreboard not a true indication how hard they attacked the contest, but in the second half the class of Bacchus Marsh took over.

With the Cobras having the football inside 50m about 40 more times, the weight of numbers was always going spread the margin. 

Matt Denham was prominent as was Alec Del Papa for the Marsh, while Dan Leggett was South’s best..

NORTH BALLARAT CITY 25.12 (162) D SEBASTOPOL 7.8 (50)

By Michael Hankin

EIGHT goals to Derrick Micallef and a solid four-quarter team performance saw North Ballarat City dispose of an inexperienced Sebastopol by 111 points in the Ballarat Football League at Eureka Stadium on Sunday.

Last year’s runners-up held control for the entire contest - thanks largely to a 13 goal to four first half. 

For City coach Jordyn Burke, the most pleasing factor was his side’s ability to play four effective quarters of football, which they were rewarded by with 25 goals. 

Burke said City was still not at the level of performance that they wanted, but they would continue to strive to improve ahead of the top-of-the-table clash against Lake Wendouree next round.

For Sebastopol, it was another learning curb for a team which is still finding its feet and a lesson that coach Shane Snibson said would not be lost on his side.

“Our capacity to make the most of our chances, compared with the opposition, was still a challenging thing for us. We would like to see more improvement against the stronger sides. North was just a bit classier by hand and foot,” he said.

“We broke even in the clearances which was a sign of our work rate.

“We just fall down a bit when we need to execute our skills under pressure.” 

There will be much on the line in North Ballarat City’s clash with Lakers at Wendouree.

Each stand alone as the only unbeaten teams in the competition. 

There might be some doubt over Simon McCartin for the clash after he left the field late with a corked leg.

North Ballarat Roosters-listed Ollie Tate had his first hit-out since returning to Ballarat with Sebastopol, but did not have a major influence on the game.