BEAUFORT 'S five-goals-to-none second half sank Creswick on Saturday.
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A slender three-point margin at half time blew out to a 34-point Crows victory in front of a disbelieving Wickers crowd at Doug Lindsay Reserve.
Creswick matched Beaufort quarter by quarter until half time and the Crows only managed slender leads because of the home side’s inaccurate kicking.
The Wickers coped well in the muddy conditions for most of the first half, before losing the plot in a scoreless third term.
The return of ruckman Josh McDermott to the Graintech Crows’ line-up was evident. It freed Jake Garvey and Jarrod Trigg, who had juggled McDermott's spot the week before.
McDermott was one of four changes to the team before the clash. Branden Sternberg, Brendan
Foster and Mike Cachia replaced Michael Foster, Rohan Brown, James Blackburn and Zach Lockie.
But nothing comes without cost – especially winning.
Skipper Damien Day may be out for the rest of the season with a compound fracture to a finger and goal-sneak Jack Duke was hampered with an ankle problem.
Duke kicked a spectacular goal off the ground in a rolling wrestling match during the breakaway third term.
Kyle Orr kicked three majors for the Crows and combined with Brendan Foster in a slick play that snagged a great goal in the first term.
Foster also got on the scoreboard, along with Levi Cox, Lee Marshall, Joe Mason, Lachie Pfeifer, Aaron Bones and Jake Hart.
Best players for the Crows included Zac Marrow, Steven Lodge and Sternberg.
Joel Berry and Brennan Deppeler were among the best for Creswick. Others included Joel Antonio, Luke Robertson and Alex Code.
Beaufort coach Dale Power celebrated the win after a string of close losses to Gordon, Buninyong and Hepburn in recent weeks.
"It's been tight, frustrating. But we have to play four competitive quarters every week because we don't have the scoring capacities to do otherwise. A couple of losses lately could have gone either way,” he said.
"That's footy. We have to roll with the punches."
Creswick coach Damian Lubeek blamed the loss – which leaves the team 10 points adrift of the Central Highlands Football League top eight with four games to play – on a mental fade-out by his players.
"After the game I told the group I don't have the answer. The fitness work they've been doing is fantastic. The training is really good. It was just above the shoulders today. That's a real disappointing thing," Lubeek said.