Skipton 10.10 (70) d Daylesford 8.12 (60)
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By Tim O'Connor
The improving Skipton claimed its second scalp of the season on Saturday, ending a long drought against Daylesford in the process.
The Emus secured just their second triumph over the Bulldogs since joining the Central Highlands Football League in 2011 with the 10-point win at home.
Skipton trailed by 16 points in a low-scoring encounter at three quarter time, but booted seven goals to three in the last term to prevail.
The Banongill Aggregation Emus’ only other victory against the Bulldogs in senior football came way back in 2013.
Skipton senior coach Greg Middleton said it was a great result for his side, which he said dug deep to fight back in the last quarter.
“I’m just more happy for the players because they could have easily rolled over,” he said.
After a winless 2017 campaign, Middleton said he’d have “definitely” taken two victories from the opening five rounds if it was offered to him at the start of the year.
“You’d take 2-2 (and a bye), you’d be mad not to,” Middleton said.
“I think we’ve got a few more wins in us for sure...”
Josh Draffin and Tim Huglin were among the standouts for Skipton in defence, while Middleton praised the efforts of onballers Andrew Pitson and Lakota Stranks in an undermanned side. Curtis Townrow converted three goals for the victors.
Saturday’s defeat continued a terrible start to the new season for Daylesford, which remains winless after the opening five games.
Ruckman Sam Winnard was named the Bulldogs’ best for his four-goal display.
Next weekend, Skipton has a clash against Middleton’s old side Bungaree, while Daylesford comes up against Creswick.
Waubra 13.17 (95) d Gordon 4.8 (32)
By Tim O'Connor
Waubra is one of six teams locked on four wins from the opening five rounds after a comprehensive victory over Gordon on Saturday.
Despite booting a wasteful 13.17, the Roos thrashed the Eagles, which managed just 4.8 for the afternoon.
Will Booth and Jackson Kinna were in fine form in attack and finished with four goals each, while James Lukich was one of the stars through the midfield for the home side. Stand-in ruckman Dean Robertson, who took on those duties following the withdrawal of Geordie Lukich through injury, was another leading contributor for the winners.
Waubra coach Matt James was pleased with the performance, but revealed injuries to Billy Douglass (AC joint/collarbone, Jesse Sardo (ankle) and Tom Nash (groin) that are concerning ahead of next Saturday’s clash with Buninyong.
Gordon rated Mark Gunnell as its best, with the side now 12th on the ladder with just two wins.
Beaufort 21.10 (136) d Ballan 5.6 (36)
By Tim O'Connor
Ballan’s Harley Bongart will front the tribunal this week after being reported in the team’s 100-point loss to Beaufort on Saturday.
Bongart was booked for carelessly striking Crows assistant coach Nick Sullivan.
Beaufort controlled Saturday’s contest on home soil, with an eight-goal opening term paving the way for a big victory.
Jack Duke and Scott Howard kicked five goals each, with backman Mitch Jenkins and onballer Tom Stapleton named best in the win that puts the Crows at the top of the ladder.
Ballan, which is still winless in 2018, rated Ash Mullane and Brody Richie as standouts.
The Crows have Dunnstown next weekend, while the Blues meet Hepburn.
Learmonth 15.15 (105) d Carngham-Linton 9.4 (58)
By Tim O'Connor
Learmonth landed a fourth-straight win with a convincing display against Carngham-Linton on Saturday.
The Lakies proved too good in the clash at Linton, winning by 47 points.
Coach Nick Willox and assistant Brenton Powell booted three goals each for the winners and were leading contributors along with onballer Jason Rae.
Carngham-Linton’s Ross Waters kicked four majors, with Tom Sarah named the Saints’ best.
Bungaree 9.15 (69) d Rokewood Corindhap 7.10 (52)
By Tim O'Connor
An undermanned Bungaree has got back to winning ways against Rokewood-Corindhap.
The Demons controlled Saturday’s clash in the opening two terms, and despite a wasteful second half that netted 1.10, the visitors still managed to secure a 17-point win.
Backman Matt Harrington and onballers Jackson Murphy (three goals) and Scott Mann were good for Bungaree, while the Grasshoppers’ best were Ben Reese and Tyler Mookhoek.
Buninyong 14.9 (93) d Hepburn 6.7 (43)
By Tim O'Connor
Buninyong completed the tough trip to Hepburn in style, running away with an impressive 50-point win against the reigning premiers on Saturday.
The Bombers, in the absence of coach Jarrod Morgan (calf injury), had a large number of good players, but the likes of Lachlan Baker, Liam Rigby and Sam Russell all shone.
Tanner Wills played well for Hepburn, which was missing key players such as Andy McKay and Dan O’Hallloran.
Dunnstown 12.11 (83) d Springbank 11.11 (77)
By Tim O'Connor
A powerful display from a highly functioning forward line helped Dunnstown beat another of last year’s finalists on Saturday.
The Towners’ attacking end worked like a polished machine as the side dug deep to secure a memorable six-point victory against Springbank in Wallace.
Key forward Peter McGettigan played his first game at Dunnstown since 2016 and offered a big target alongside Lachlan Poulter, who converted two important goals in the last term to snuff out the gallant Tigers.
Harry McKimmie was electric through the middle and up forward and finished the day with four majors in a brilliant display.
“You can see our improvement. This time last year we were 0-5 (win-loss) and now we are 3-2,” Dunnstown coach Justin Abrams told The Courier.
“We ground out the win. Certainly they had a few out, but you’ve still got to beat who you play so I was really proud of our team.”
The Towners were clearly the better side in the first half and should have led by more than 11 points at the main change.
Springbank hit the ground running in the third term and opened up a small lead, but eventually trailed by five points at three quarter time.
The two sides traded blows in the final quarter and despite the hosts threatening to pinch victory, the Towners held their advantage with two majors from Poulter and one from the boot of Matt Bulluss.
Poulter was quiet early, but finished the afternoon with three majors and found himself among the Dunnstown best alongside Sam Jenkins and Nick English, who were busy all day.
Springbank coach Troy Beamond was disappointed with his side’s first loss of the Central Highlands Football League season.
“Weight of numbers eventually caught up with us with Marty Anderson pulling out and Paul O’Shea getting hurt (quadriceps) on top of who we were already missing,” Beamond said.
“But that’s footy and I’m pretty proud of how we fought it out.”
Young forward Wil McGannon was lively for the GJ Gardner Tigers and kicked three goals, James Wall had heaps of the ball and was one of the team’s best alongside onballer Joel Maher, ruckman Brock Freeman, midfielder/forward Billy Driscoll and Shannon Donegan, who led the way in defence.
Springbank has slipped from top to sixth spot on the ladder, but is one of six teams on 16 points, while Dunnstown is now ninth, a game behind the leading pack.
Newlyn 13.12 (90) d Creswick 5.4 (34)
By John McGregor
Newlyn showed Creswick no mercy in a brilliant display of unrelenting pressure on Saturday afternoon.
It was a 56-point win to the Cats that could have been a monumentally worse result for the Wickers if calculated on the first term lead of 37 points.
There was no let-up as the Cats stormed their way to a half time break of 55 points, with Creswick’s paltry tally reading just a solitary behind.
The Wickers players were sorely embarrassed as they left the ground at the half-way mark.
Newlyn’s Patrick Parr and Dylan Fishwick were prominent on the scoreboard with two majors each.
The third quarter started with Parr kicking his third, but the momentum shifted significantly with Creswick finally stung into action.
Despite the Wickers’ savage attack on the ball, there was little impact on the scoreboard. But it did stop the Cats’ advance.
Creswick’s goal drought was broken about a minute into the last term when Bradley Jennings got a downfield free kick and slotted the side’s first major for the day.
Newlyn’s four-goal haul in the final quarter was eclipsed by Creswick’s five-goal fightback.
It wasn’t a brilliant finish by the home side, but it staunched the flow of Newlyn goals.
Joining Parr and Fishwick on Newlyn’s goal kicking list were Myles Sewell and Chris Eastwell with two each, as well as Declan Lourey, Adam Sewell, Steve Clifton and skipper Matt Cosgrave with one each.
For Creswick, coach Ryan Knowles booted two, while Mitch Arnold and Matt Miller joined Jennings with one.
Among the best for the Cats were Myles and Adam Sewell, Cormac Prendergast, Josh Milne and the unstoppable Clifton.
Creswick players were under the pump all day, but young ruckman Tom Walmsley gave his all. Patrick Taranto, Rick Cummins, Tyson Randall and Arnold stood tall under the onslaught.
Joint Newlyn coach Chris Dwyer was surprised by the scrappy nature of the second half.
“It was a great first half, but in the second they pushed numbers back and made it harder for us. It came down to their tactics. But we had control of the game so we tried a few new things,” Dwyer said.
Knowles was nursing bruised ribs and counting the injury list after the game.
“We started the day with two down to injury and we lost another two today. I’ve booked a few in with the physio on Monday,” Knowles said.
Creswick has a clash with Daylesford next Saturday, while Newlyn is up against Carngham-Linton.