By David Brehaut

DARLEY is on the march in the Ballarat Football League.

Although still a long way short of securing a finals berth, the Devils have given themselves every chance of finishing in the top six after a monumental three-point win over the previously unbeaten Lake Wendouree at Wendouree on Saturday.

With a game break over East Point and Melton, the upset keeps the sixth-placed Darley’s fortunes firmly in its own hands with six rounds to go.

This looked like being anything like the scenario when Lake Wendouree, with on-baller Steve Clifton in full flight, went to half-time with a 39-point lead and seemingly set for an 11th straight victory.

The Lakers had been given a scare the previous week when it fell in by four points against Melton, but that looked to have shaken them back to top form.

Darley was throwing everything at the Lakers, but a break down across half forward and the polish of Lake Wendouree was the difference. The Devils managed just three behinds from the opening minutes of the first term to 18 minutes into the second.

Then came the transformation with a determined Darley adding five goals in each of the third and fourth terms, and a wilting Lake Wendouree kicking just three for the half.

Even then it took all Darley had in repeated launches from a dominant Darren Leonard across half back in a relentless assault to snatch the match.

Ryan Closter gave the Devils the lead on 14 minutes in the last quarter. Tanner Robertson restored order for Lakers and then in the dying seconds pint-sized Cooper Pepi, in just his third senior game up from the under-18.5s, squeezed home the winning goal from a set shot.

Darley coach Jarrod Edwards, who with the likes of a tireless Steve Kennedy, Anthony Chiu, Abe Cameron and opportunist Dane Grenfell with three late goals, paved the way for the upset, said he was extremely proud of his players.

“We made hard work of it (again), but we found a way.”

Edwards said the comeback had been initiated at centre breaks, with a fierce attack on the ball putting the Lakers off their game.

He said believed the tough run the Devils had had with injuries and suspensions had galvanised the group and they were just starting to get reward for effort.

“There’s no bigger scalp than the top team.”

Lakers coach Gavin Webb said a failure to take opportunities in front of goal had proved costly.

He said even though Darley dominated the last quarter the Lakers had still had its chances.

Redan 14.5 (89) d North Ballarat City 8.15 (63)

By Michael Hankin

REDAN reminded everyone of its intention to be regarded as a serious Ballarat Football League flag contender in disposing of North Ballarat City by 26 points at the City Oval on Saturday.  

Despite the heavy state of the ground impacting on the standard of play, Redan delivered in spades by converting 14 goals from 19 scoring shots. 

It was a costly day all round for North Ballarat.

As well as dropping from third to fifth position, City faces the prospect of being without coach and key position player Jordyn Burke for its clash with ladder leader Lake Wendouree after next round’s bye.

Burke was reported twice by a goal umpire in the first quarter. He has been charged with having struck and head-butted Redan’s Ryan Bell.

His reports had an immediate impact with a central umpire, having been advised of the reports, showing Burke a red card at the quarter-time break.

While Burke was finished for the day, he was able to be replaced after 20 minutes.

He can accept a one-match set penalty on the striking charge, but will have to face the AFL Goldfields independent tribunal on the head-butting charge.

North Ballarat City had started brightly, with a four-goal opening term giving it a 20-point lead.

From there though, with the loss of Burke from the contest, Redan took over with 13.5 to 4.13 for the rest of the day.

As well as losing Burke, City also had to finish without lively forward Martin Curtis after he sustained a lower leg injury.

Patrick Britt was terrific down back for the Lions, repelling many City thrusts forward, while Dean Chester was also handy for the home side.

Redan coach Eamonn Gill was pleased with the way his charges worked their way into the game. 

“Obviously we were a bit slow early and coming off the bye, we weren’t able to train much during the week with the weather, so it took us a bit to get going. 

“After quarter time we found our way and got in our groove.

“We finished the game off really well and got an important win”. 

Burke conceded that the week off had come at a good time for his side. 

“We had a bit of personnel down today and we’ve got a few sore boys now so there’s no doubt that we will enjoy the break and freshen up. 

“We are still pretty disappointed with how we went today,” he said. 

Melton 15.12 (102) d Sebastopol 10.10 (70)

 By Tyler Maher

MELTON completed a deceptively comfortable 32-point victory over Sebastopol despite a one-man forward clinic from the Burra’s Michael Powell at Melton on Saturday.

Powell booted six majors and marked everything in sight as Sebastopol threw everything it had at the Bloods.

While the margin blew out, the match was much closer and of a higher intensity than the scoreline indicated.

Melton midfielder Ryan Davis tore apart the second half and scythed through packs to break lines and penetrate deep into the forward line with alarming regularity.

Burra came out firing in the first two terms, only to be pegged back by a Melton side who yo-yoed between being dangerously efficient and frustratingly wasteful.

When Davis lifted though so did his midfield cohorts, with Lachlan Hickey, Dillon Sharp and Jake Gleeson all posting impressive performances.

The spread of the Bloods’ goalscorers was wide also, with five players nabbing two goals and five more kicking one.

For Sebastopol, Brett Goodes and youngster Jack McNab joined Powell in its best players.

The win keeps Melton in touch with the top six ahead of a rivalry match against Melton South.

The eighth-placed Bloods are level on points with East Point (seventh) and one game adrift of Darley, but does have poor percentage – a factor which makes any hopes they have of playing finals extremely tough.

For the Burras now chances of moving up a spot on the ladder next week against Ballarat at Alfredton.

Sebastopol showed enough patches at Melton it could give Ballarat a big run for its money.

Bacchus Marsh 22.17 (149) d Melton South 5.6 (36)

BACCHUS Marsh unleashed a sample of its might to down Melton South by a 113 points in the BFL at Maddingley Park on Saturday.

The Panthers rarely posed a serious challenge for the Cobras.

Bacchus Marsh effectively put the game away with a seven-goal burst in the first term and it could have been more as Melton South was unable to trouble the scoreboard.

Cam Richardson and Jarrah Maksymow did what they had to in attack with six and four goals respectively as the Cobras spread the workload.

While the outcome was comfortable, Bacchus Marsh did come out of the day exactly as it would prefer going into a battle with Darley in rivalry round.

Coach Travis Hodgson said Liam Mullen (ankle), Matt Sutherland (ribs) and Tom Wardell (foot) were in doubt after being sidelined.

Shaun White one again played his heart out for Melton South.

Sunbury 16.11 (107) d Ballarat 9.10 (64)

SUNBURY turned its fortunes around on home turf in the BFL on Saturday.

Having lost three games on end, the Lions lived up to expectations with a 43-point win over Ballarat.

Still with a strong percentage, this keeps Sunbury within touch of the top three and with a buffer over the chasing pack led by Darley.

Alik Magin, Tom Donoghue, Josh Guthrie and Jack Landt (4 goals) ensured Sunbury kept chipping away.

However, not for the first time of late Sunbury was shaded late on the scoreboard. The Swans kicked four goals in the last quarter off the back of efforts by leaders such as Tom Stapleton, Hayden Hughes (3 goals), Damian Larkin and Marcus Powling.