LAKE WENDOUREE V NORTH BALLARAT CITY
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North Ballarat City booked a Ballarat Football League finals berth with an emphatic display against Lake Wendouree in the BFL on Sunday.
City put the game away in the opening quarter kicking 8.3 to nil at Wendouree – eventually saluting by 86 points.
North Ballarat opened the match at a frenetic pace and Lakers were powerless to do anything about it.
Although conditions meant City kicked to what was always going to the scoring end, it was its hand and foot speed, and long kicking which sunk a hapless Lake Wendouree.
Mitch Johns provided a target up forward as the likes of Ben Simpson, Daniel Jones, Simon McCartin and Tim Speirs drove North forward with ease and often.
Then on the few occasions Lakers did push froward, Ryan Hobbs led a rock solid defence.
While City coach Shane Skontra can now start planning for finals, Lakers are sitting on a knife edge in sixth position. Although a win ahead of Sebastopol and Sunbury, Lakers’ percentage took a big hit and that is now a potential Achilles heel as they face a battle to get to the finals.
If the result was not bad enough, Lake Wendouree lost defender Sam Clifton with a broken arm in the third term.
North Ballarat added to its firepower by adding onballer Josh Bromley-Lynch and tall forward Sam Dunstan in changes to the selected side.
Even though Dunstan had a few injury niggles during the day, his presence in attack stretched Lakers’ defence.
Lake Wendouree had to wait until 10 minutes in the second quarter before getting its first score – a behind – and 27 minutes in the same term before kicking a goal.
North Ballarat City 8.3, 10.8, 13.13, 17.16 (118)
Lake Wendouree 0.0, 1.4, 2.5, 4.8 (32)
GOALS – North Ballarat City: Mitchell Johns 4, Samuel Dunstan 3, Daniel Jones 2, Benjamin Simpson 2, Dylan Graham 1, Tom Bromley-Lynch 1, Fletcher Loader 1, Sam Willian 1, Sam Bromley-Lynch 1, James Cusack 1. Lake Wendouree: Josh Driscoll 1, Callum Mc Kay 1, Joel O'Connell 1, Kynan Raven 1
BEST – North Ballarat City: Oliver Nash, Mitchell Johns, Sam Willian, Benjamin Simpson , Mitchell Gilbert, Charlie Perks. Lake Wendouree: Liam Hepworth, Kynan Raven, Joel O'Connell, William Henderson, Thomas Littore, Ambrose Gillett
SEBASTOPOL V EAST POINT
East Point has again reinforced why it is shaping as the one to beat for the Ballarat Football League premiership.
The Kangaroos displayed attacking flair and defensive discipline to thwart a persistent Sebastopol by 33 points at Marty Busch Reserve on Saturday.
Sebastopol gave all it had, but East Point was too slick, too polished and too efficient – reminding the Burra of just how far it still has to go to be more than a finals contender..
The win secures the minor premiership for East Point for the first time since 2007, when it finished on top for a second year in a row.
It is a much different picture for the Burra, which now faces an uphill battle to play finals, although it did switch places with Sunbury to move up one position to seventh.
While just two home and away rounds remain, East Point coach Jake Bridges is keeping a lid on it in his customary fashion.
His main task is keeping his players focused on the job ahead and ensuring they maintain what they have shown all season when it counts most.
The disappointment of Sebastopol was clear as players sat with heads down in silencewhile waiting for coach Leigh Hutchinson’s post match words.
“Turnovers killed us. It;s the same stuff week-in week-out. We give the ball back.”
This was no more evident than in the opening term, with the Kangaroos making Sebastopol pay heavily for not finding targets.
With East Point kick with a wind, Sebastopol ad the better of the start, but could not finish its high possession game on the scoreboard. Mistakes were all too costly, with two late goals allowing the Roos to get away to a 26-point lead.
Sebastopol peppered the goals in the second term, but despite dominating the 50m entries and contested possessions could not break down East’s last line of defence. Then a goal from a free kick on 25 minutes enabled the Roos’ to keep their noses in front.
It was a similar pattern in the second half, but by the time Sebastopol starting to find its range – it kicked four of the last five goals of the day – the game was out of reach.
“We had opportunities, but we didn’t taken them,” Hutchinson said.
“We’re a better side than that. We just have to get better.”
He said the Burra had to acknwledge its skills were not where they needed to be.
East Point 4.4, 5.7, 9.9, 14.14 (98)
Sebastopol 0.2, 2.9, 4.10, 9.11 (65)
GOALS -East Point: Jordan Johnston 3, Joel Ottavi 2, Bryson McDougall 2, Cameron Lovig 1, Andrew Maconachie 1, Jordan Taylor 1, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus 1, Jacob Brown 1, Brad Whittaker 1, Tom Clark 1 Sebastopol: James Keeble 3, Toby Hutt 2, Daniel Widgery 1, Chase Dummett 1, Tony Lockyer 1, Michael Powell 1
BEST – East Point: Lucas Dahlenburg, Cameron Lovig, Clay Bilney, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus, Jordan Johnston, Matthew Johnston. Sebastopol: Brett Goodes, Nicholas Hausler, Lachlan Cassidy, Geoffrey Lovett, Tom Petersen, Marshall Cain
SUNBURY V BACCHUS MARSH
The Cobras not only ensured themselves of another finals campaign, but also stayed in the hunt for second position and the double chance.
In a comprehensive start, Bacchus Marsh kicked the first six goals of the contest against the wind while holding Ben Jordan’s men to just three behinds and never looked back.
Jake Owen, as he has done all year, seemed to be everywhere up forward in the first term, generating plenty of scoring opportunities before being switched to play a role as a loose man in defence.
While Sunbury did manage to stem the flow, ugly weather conditions meant the Lions were unable to get work their back into contention.
Billy Griffiths, Dylan Bishop, Nick Stuhldreier and the Chisari brothers all made valuable contributions for Bacchus Marsh as it doiminated the third quarter jus as it done in the first – adding seven goals to set up a huge 71-point lead at the last change.
It was a statement by Bacchus Marsh after enduring a month of indifferent form.
The last term developed into a slog fest, with each side again having to battle the weather in order to construct any forward thrusts.
In a minor upside for Sunbury, it was able to restrict the Cobras to just one behind in the final quarter, while adding three goals, but in the context of the season it was a long way short of what it required.
Lions coach Ben Jordan said the effort was there from the Lions, but his side just lacked polish.
“The start certainly wasn’t what we were looking for and not what we planned for.
“Our starts this year overall have been ordinary, which at the end of
the day when the scoreboards against you and the opposition has its tail up, makes it difficult,” he said.
Bacchus Marsh coach Travis Hodgson was impressed with the output of the Cobras – particularly in the first three quarters.
“I thought we played a really good brand of footy and set it up early. That was pleasing.
“I thought Sunbury for the most part was able to match us with its physicality, but we worked really hard at our stoppages and was able to give our forwards a really good look at it, which was great.”
The win ended a three-game losing run for the Cobras.
Bacchus Marsh 6.3, 8.4, 15.7, 15.8 (98)
Sunbury 0.3, 2.5, 3.7, 6.12 (48)
GOALS – Bacchus Marsh: Jake Owen 4, Hamish Coulton 3, Aaron Willitts 3, Benjamin Speight 3, Billy Griffiths 1, Dylon Bishop 1. Sunbury: Andrew Duhau 1, Jack Landt 1, Jacob Bygate 1, Liam Berry 1, Jack Hannett 1, Grant Valles 1
BEST – Bacchus Marsh: Matthew Chisari, Nicholas Stuhldreier, Jacob Chisari, Logan Blundell, Daniel Burton, Billy Griffiths. Sunbury: Patrick MacDonough, Reece Wood, Alik Magin, Jack Landt, Nathan Wood, Jack Hannett
BALLARAT V MELTON
Melton survived a scare by Ballarat to all but book a BFL finals berth.
The Bloods sit two games and 15 per cent inside the top six with two rounds to play.
Melton had to work overtime though to get the vital 28-point win at Alfredton on Saturday after being pushed well into the last quarter.
The Swans had one of their better starts with three first term goals, catching Melton off guard with its defensive efforts and hardness at the ball.
With its season on the line, it was big forward Mark Orr (four goals) finding his range and the ever elusive Braedan Kight (four goals) which provided the Melton with the edge.
Melton coach Aaron Tymms said the Bloods did not turn up to play, while Ballarat was "very good...really good”. He said it was only after a couple of late goals that Melton finally found some breathing space to land the desired result.
Mitch Bowman and Marcus Powling stood up for Ballarat.
Melton 1.1, 5.4, 9.7, 13.8 (86)
Ballarat 3.2, 4.6, 5.8, 8.10 (58)
GOALS – Melton: Mark Orr 4, Braedan Kight 4, Matt Denham 2, Darren Haby 2, Brock Kennedy 1. Ballarat: Sam James 2, Mitchell Bishop 1, Jack Sutherland 1, Daniel Kennedy 1, Jack Blackburn 1, Mitchell Bowman 1, Carter Prendergast 1
BEST – Melton: Matt Denham, Ben Archard, Mark Orr, Braedan Kight, Connor Griffiths, Ryan Carter. Ballarat: Mitchell Bowman, Marcus Powling, Mitchell Bishop, Shane Hutchinson, Daniel Kennedy, Sam James