TWO of the Ballarat Football Netball League’s early premiership favourites played out an enthralling draw in the league’s opening round on Saturday, with East Point and North Ballarat City finishing at 52 all.
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The contest between the two sides was tight from the opening minutes, with North Ballarat City managing to sneak ahead at the end of the first term to lead by two goals.
The reigning premiers managed to extend their slender lead to four at the main change before a fightback saw the Kangaroos hit the lead by one going into the final term.
East Point looked the aggressors in the fourth and managed to extend their lead to five goals before City rallied to ensure the draw.
Lauren Atkinson was the catalyst for the Kangaroos aggression, setting up confidently from centre court to ensure they had 10 more scoring shots than City. New recruit Sascha Veldhuis was also influential at wing attack.
Efficient shooting from combo Jordyn Bibby and Gina McCartin ensured City were always in reach, with the pair missing just five shots for the match.
North Ballarat City coach Annie McCartin said while she always expected the match would be tight, she did not anticipate the pace of the match for a first round encounter.
“We were lucky to get out of it with the draw because they didn’t take their foot off the pedal,” McCartin said. “Everyone had to knuckle down and do their job.”
The last time the two sides played was in last year’s qualifying finals, where City narrowly edged out the Kangaroos by two goals. The tough first round match may be a sign of a newly determined East Point outfit, after they were bundled out of the 2015 finals in straight sets.
In other matches in the opening round of the season a vastly improved Bacchus Marsh came within four goals of defeating 2015 finalists Sunbury after finishing at the bottom of the ladder last season.
Sebastopol were edged out in a close encounter with Ballarat, going down 40-37, while Melton were comfortable victors in the derby against Melton South, taking the win by 13 goals, 41-28.
Lake Wendouree also took the points, defeating Redan 38-29.