North Ballarat City 14.7 (91) d Sunbury 6.11 (47)
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There is no doubt about it now.
North Ballarat City has to be taken seriously as a contender in the Ballarat Football League.
The Shane Skontra-coached combination confirmed this by ending Sunbury’s unbeaten run in an emphatic display at Mars Stadium on Saturday.
Although City had won four of five outings going into the top-end clash, it had not knocked over anyone outside the bottom four.
Well it has now after taking Sunbury completely out of its comfort zone with a pressure display in which it closed up the Lions’ space and forced constant mistakes by even their best.
While the North domination began in the midfield where young ruckman Harry Loader, and the likes of Daniel Jones and Tim Speirs had a big say, Will Young put the icing on the cake with eight goals.
He was almost unstoppable inside 50m, where he marked repeatedly and anchored a six-goal second quarter to enable City to set up a match-winning 29-point lead.
Sunbury coach Ben Jordan was pleased with the Lions’ lift in intensity in the second half, but at a loss as to why the game which had served them well in the opening rounds had fallen apart.
He acknowledged North’s pressure and the cost Sunbury had paid for turnovers and an inability to get clean possession at stoppages.
Jordan dismissed any suggestion Sunbury, which was best serrved by Josh Guthrie and Andrew Duhau, might have been flat after two weeks as a result of a break for inter-league and a bye.
He said Sunbury’s highly competitive opening quarter, when it led by four points after an even battle, ruled that out.
Jordan said any impact on that front would have shown up early.
Skontra was satisfied with the day, particularly the discipline of his defence – holding Sunbury goalless from the 19-minute mark of the first term to 29 minutes into the third – and the way North had stretched Sunbury with a consistent spread.
The win lifts North Ballarat City to second, behind new leader Bacchus Marsh on percentage and ahead of Sunbury and East Point on percentage.
Melton and surprise packet Lake Wendouree make up the top six a game away.
North Ballarat now has a bye, which will give several players with soft tissue injuries opportunities further rest. Ryan Luke is among them, having spent a large part of Saturday’s game sidelined.
Lake Wendouree 17.13 (115) d Melton South 13.12 (90)
An inspired Bailey Edwards was instrumental in propelling Lake Wendouree into the BFL top six on Saturday.
He kicked five goals as Lakers swamped Melton South at Melton Recreation Reserve and almost certainly ended the Panthers’ finals aspirations.
Not even four goals from the returning Brendan Fevola was enough to snap a persistent Melton South’s winless streak.
Lake Wendouree momentarily threw off the Panthers, which led by five points at midway, with a scintilating eight-goal third term when Edwards was at his most dangerous.
Melton South rallied with the opening three goals of the last term to close the gap to six points, but this time it was Nathan Pring (five goals) who led Lakers’ response.
With three wins Lakers jump ahead of Darley to be a game clear in sixth position ahead of a massive test against the might of East Point at the Eastern Oval.
Sebastopol 8.12 (60) d Darley 7.4 (46)
Sebastopol is winning and growing in confidence.
And no one was feeling better than coach Leigh Hutchinson after the Burra overcame reigning Darley by 14 points in the Ballarat Football League at Marty Busch Reserve on Saturday.
“The win is what we needed.”
”Confidence beams confidence and it’s a really good sign for the club.”
Hutchinson said Sebastopol had been able to deliver on some exteensive planning.
“Darley is a good team. When they came at us in the third quarter we were able to get our backline set again for the last term, midfielders winning the ball again and forwards competing,” he said.
Sebastopol has now put a shaky start to the season behind it with two wins in a row and can now gear up for another big assignment against Sunbury.
The Burra led for the majority of the day and had enough in the tank to run the game out.
Darley opened the better, kicking three of the first four goals to take a 10-point advantage into quarter time.
Sebastopol responded, restricting the Devils to just one behind in the second term, while kicking three crucial goals.
Tony Lockyer is pivotal in the turn around, repelling Darley forward thrusts from half back and setting up scoring opportunities, while Brett Goodes and Daniel Widgery were also effective.
Darley stayed in touch with three goals to two to be just five points down at the final change, with Jake Edwards finding some form after a quiet first half.
However, the inconsistent Devils were unable to keep it going.
Coach Heath Scotland highlighted the difference in effort as a major factor between the two sides.
“We were beaten soundly in a number of areas consistently.
“We were beaten by a side that wanted it more, executed it better, and deserved it more.
“We’re just a bit lost at the moment. We have too many important players down,” he said.
Bacchus Marsh 27.10 (172) d Ballarat 9.12 (66)
Bacchus Marsh saved its best for last in handing Ballarat a 106-point thumping in the BFL at Maddingley Park on Saturday.
Now heading the ladder, the Cobras highlighted the gap between the sides in the second half.
The Swans bounced back from a slow start with a rush of goals late in the second term to slash a six-goal deficit to 13 points.
However, that was where Ballarat’s challenge ended as Bacchus Marsh added 17 goals in the second half.
The Cobras shared the goals around with Ben Speight, Jake Owen and Aaron Willitts snagging five apiece as Scott Sherlock ensured there was no shortage of supply.
Daniel Burton also made the most of Ballarat’s shortage of big-man power to have a big say in proceedings.
Mitch Bowman had his best game since joining the Swans this year, while Will Garner worked hard at ground level with coach Shane Hutchinson with the odds stacked against them.
Melton 16.17 (113) d Redan 5.10 (40)
Melton underlined its new-found relentless desire for success by sweeping aside an undermanned Redan in the Ballarat Football League at the City Oval on Saturday.
The Bloods took a while to find their feet, with Redan holding on to be just in touch at half-time.
However, the signs were starting to show that Melton was ready to step up to another levels and it did just that.
Redan’s scoring opportunities dried up, adding just four behinds for the rest of the day while Melton put the pedal down to go away by 73 points.
Coburg VFL regular Mark Orr enjoyed his return to the Bloods, with the big man asserting his authority on the game.
Braedan Kight again bobbed up in attack with four goals and Jaycob Hickey was again to the fore.
Riley Walker, Jack Walker and Daniel Walker are other consistent performers who made the presence felt.
Redan simply did not have the depth much beyond skipper Liam Hoy to compete with what is a recharged Melton.
The Bloods are fifth, one game behind a quartet, but their form stacks up as well as anyone heading into round seven.
And it will need to as it faces early premiership favourite Bacchus Marsh at MacPherson Park next, when Cobras premiership player Matt Denham now in maroon and white will face his former team.
Redan will face Ballarat in a winnable Queen’s Birthday long weekend fixture.