Redan put its hand up as a genuine Ballarat Football League premiership contender with a commanding 39-point win over Darley at the City Oval on Saturday.
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Not even the inclusion of coach Heath Scotland and Dany Roy, who were originally named as emergencies, could help Darley avoid slipping into what is now officially a mid-season slump.
The Devils have now lost to Lake Wendouree, had a bye, fallen in against Ballarat and lost Redan in the past four rounds, and with it lost top position to the Lakers.
Darley has slipped to third, with Bacchus Marsh up to second, and is now just one game clear of Sunbury and Redan.
Redan edged its nose in front of Darley with a four-goal second quarter and then took control in the third term, when it added two goals while even more significantly keeping the Devils scoreless.
Liam Hoy mark his return after a week out with five goals for the Lions.
Darley’s usually potent attack struggled, with regular key defender Jay pearson stepping up as its main goalkicker with two as it searched for an answer.
MELTON was the other big mover with a fighting eight-point over East Point at Melton’s MacPherson Park.
This lifts the Bloods into the top six at the expense of cross-town arch-rival Melton South, which drops from sixth to seventh after going down to Lake Wendouree at CE Brown Reserve.
East Point was in control with a 23-point lead 23 minutes into the third quarter and Melton struggling to cope with the loss of VFL-listed ruckman/forward Mark Orr after he suffered a recurrence of a hamstring strain.
However, the Bloods scrapped their way back into contention and 18 minutes into the last quarter grabbed a one-point lead.
Four minutes later East Point tied up the scores and for almost four minutes a third draw for the Kangaroos for the season looked on the cards.
Braedan Kight ensured that was not going to happen though and on 28 minutes he kicked his sixth goal to secure victory.
Melton coach Brad Murphy said the Bloods would take enormous confidence out of the performance as they now prepared to meet Redan.
LAKE Wendouree sent Melton South tumbling out of the top six with a strong second half setting up a 34-point win.
The Panther led at half-time, but was unable to maintain the pace despite joint coach Brendan Fevola doing what does best – kicking goals.
Lucas Anderson was again potent in front of goal with five majors.
NORTH Ballarat City ended a seven-game losing streak by defeating Sebastopol by 24 points.
City grabbed the ascendancy in a tight battle in the third quarter with four goals.
Sebastopol fought back again, but bridging the margin proved beyond it.
BACCHUS Marsh save its best to last with a run away from Ballarat by 61 points.
Like Melton South and Sebastopol, Ballarat was in contention until half-time before losing touch.
The Cobras poured on 12 goals in the second half to the Swans’ three.
LADDER (10 rounds)
Lake Wendouree 139.08, 36
Bacchus Marsh 147.76, 34
Darley 148.50, 32
Sunbury 124.21, 28
Redan 123.94, 28
Melton 88.59, 20
Melton South 83.65, 20
East Point 90.45, 16
Ballarat 78.13, 14
North Ballarat City 86.27, 12
Sebastopol 49.26, 4
DETAILS
Bacchus Marsh 3.7, 6.11, 11.13, 18.19 (127)
Ballarat 5.3, 7.4, 9.6, 10.6 (66)
GOALS – Bacchus Marsh: Hamish Coulton 5, Alec Del Papa 2, Jarrah Maksymow 2, Matt Denham 2, Blake Graham 2, Jadyn Trowsdale 1, Dylon Bishop 1, Dean Heta 1, Declan Phyland 1, Tyson Shea 1. Ballarat: Nicholas O'Farrell 4, Jack Sutherland 4, Bailey Fraser 1, Jack Blackburn 1
BEST – Bacchus Marsh: Dean Heta, Declan Phyland, Kane White, Jackson Bolton, Dylon Bishop, Hamish Coulton. Ballarat: Mitchell Bishop, Nicholas O'Farrell, Jesse Marshall , Jack Sutherland, Scott Wood, Joel Antonio
Lake Wendouree 4.2, 6.4, 13.8, 16.11 (107)
Melton South 3.4, 6.8, 8.10, 10.13 (73)
GOALS – Lake Wendouree: Lucas Anderson 5, Ben Taylor 4, Nicholas Peters 3, Jordan Alexander 1, Jack Elkington 1, Sean Willmott 1, Stephen Clifton 1. Melton South: Brendan Fevola 6, Jonathon Kent 2, Shaun White 2
BEST – Lake Wendouree: Nicholas Peters, Arthur Armstrong, Benjamin Hayes, Ben Taylor, Sean Willmott, Lucas Anderson. Melton South: Nick Kommer, Brendan Fevola, Lachlan Watkins, Craig Searle, Shaun White, Jack Watkins
North Ballarat City 2.1, 5.8, 9.12, 13.16 (94)
Sebastopol 2.4, 5.5, 6.6, 10.10 (70)
GOALS – North Ballarat City: Simon Mc Cartin 4, William Young 2, Daniel Jones 2, Jordyn Burke 1, Nathan Olver 1, Sam Bromley-Lynch 1, Matthew Johnston 1, Adam Turley 1. Sebastopol: Michael Powell 2, Toby Hutt 2, Tyler Mookhoek 2, Lochie Huppatz 2, Riley Henderson 1, Brett Goodes 1
BEST – North Ballarat City: Matthew Johnston, Daniel Jones, Simon Mc Cartin, Jordyn Burke, Sam Bromley-Lynch, Mitchell Gilbert. Sebastopol: Lochie Huppatz, Chase Dummett, Brett Goodes, Toby Hutt, Ben Hutt, Hamish Everett
Melton 3.3, 5.5, 7.7, 11.10 (76)
East Point 2.4, 7.7, 9.10, 9.14 (68)
GOALS – Melton: Braedan Kight 6, Angus Grigg 3, Ryan Davis 1, Dillon Sharp 1. East Point :
Bryson McDougall 5, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus 2, Hasker Dawborn 1, Jordan Taylor 1
BEST – Melton: Braedan Kight, Ryan Davis, Ben Archard, Jaycob Hickey, Dillon Sharp, Ryan Carter. East Point: Clay Bilney, Bryson McDougall, Daniel Semmens, Hasker Dawborn, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus, Aden Nestor
Redan 3.0, 7.2, 9.2, 15.5 (95)
Darley 2.4, 5.4, 5.4, 8.8 (56)
GOALS – Redan: Liam Hoy 5, Jack Jess 2, Nathan Horbury 2, Grant Bell 2, Benjamin Smyth 1, Alexander Harvey 1, Callum Currie 1, Dean Mathews 1. Darley: Jay Pearson 2, Matthew Inglis 1, Brian Graham 1, Dan Roy 1, Brad Inglis 1, Daniel Robson 1, Jordan Spiteri 1
BEST – Redan: Patrick Britt, Jarrett Giampaolo, Nathan Horbury, Dean Chester, Liam Hoy, Grant Bell. Darley: Heath Scotland, Abraham Cameron, Brian Graham, Jay Pearson, Tom Evans