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NORTH BALLARAT CITY V REDAN
North Ballarat City provided a reminder that it has finals on its mind by brushing off Redan in the Ballarat Football League at Mars Stadium on Saturday.
North still has a big job to force its way into the top six, but a 28-point win over the highly regarded Lions was an outcome its needed stay in the hunt.
The fourth victory on end keeps North Ballarat one game out of a finals berth with five rounds remaining and coach Shane Skontra has it playing a lively brand of football which suggests it could do some damage if it makes it.
City was also a factor in shaking up the order inside top six, with Redan slipping two position to fourth and opening up the way for Sebastopol to leap into second behind East Point after dispensing of Darley by 39 points at Marty Busch Reserve.
Redan had extra spring in its step going into what would be at time a fiery clash against North Ballarat with former Richmond player and Redan junior making his first appearance for the Lions since signing last month.
It was clear early though that nothing was going to faze City and there was no better example of than the performance of Simon McCartin.
McCartin was inspirational after taking a big body hit from Redan man mountain Orren Stephenson in the opening quarter.
While he was floored and forced from the field, he not only played on but led from the front with the likes of veteran Jason McNamara and Tim Speirs, who was in excellent touch in his return from a knee injury.
North Ballarat sowed the seed for victory withe three goals into a stiff breeze in the first stanza and then a repeat effort while keeping Redan to 2.8 in the third.
The Lions needed to be in front at the last change, but it paid the proice for not being able to take its chances while pouring on forward pressure.
Skontra said North had really banded together in what was largely an arm wrestle and worked hard in the third quarter, setting up a strong finish.
"There's always a cracking point in a game and it was like we were running on energy in the end, still running across the ground pretty well."
North's ability stretch Redan on the wide open spaces of Mars Stadium was also a factor in getting the points.
Skontra said City had struggled with its spread early in the year, but is was definitely improving. "We're finding more ways to move the ball around the ground."
He said while unsure where its form would take it, North's main objective was to keep playing good football.
Cam McCallum was one of the big positives for North Ballarat.
In his first season with the club after focusing on basketball, McCallum took the game right up to Orren Stephenson - an effort which helped quietent the influence of Redan's midfield.
Grigg had the perfect start with a goal with his first kick after lining up at full forward.
He rotated through an on-ball role, providing some hard-fought clearances, and also had time as a high forward.
Grigg was steady, but did look short of a run in what was his first game of the season after knee and hip injury issues.
He spent the latter minutes of the game in interchange with coach Jarrett Giampaolo confrming the Lions had taken a no risk approach.
Grigg was originally named as an emergency, but was given a medical clearance to play after having a knee examined on Saturday morning.
North Ballarat City 3.3, 9.6, 12.7, 15.13 (103)
Redan 6.2, 8.4, 10.12, 10.15 (75)
GOALS - North Ballarat City: Timothy Speirs 3, Benjamin Simpson 2, William Young 2, Brock Freeman 2, Mitchell Gilbert 2, Josh Chatfield 1, Sam Bromley-Lynch 1, Dylan Graham 1, Simon McCartin 1. Redan: Grant Bell 4, Lachlan George 1, Shaun Grigg 1, Angus Cleary 1, Liam Hoy 1, Patrick Fitzgibbon 1, Alexander Harvey 1
BEST - North Ballarat City: Cameron McCallum, Simon McCartin, Jason McNamara, Josh Chatfield, Mitchell Gilbert, Benjamin Simpson. Redan: Dean Mathews, Alexander Harvey, Patrick Britt, Laityn Withers, Grant Bell, Benjamin Smyth
LADDER
EAST POINT 40 166.72
SEBASTOPOL 36 133.54 - up 2 positions
DARLEY 36 124.96 - down 1 position
SUNBURY 36 118.24 - up one position
REDAN 36 113.32 - down 2 positions
MELTON 32 127.51
North Ballarat City 28 108.45 - up 1 position
Bacchus Marsh 24 119.10 - down 1 position
Ballarat 18 69.72 - up 1 position
Lake Wendouree 18 68.03 - down 1 position
Melton South 8 40.01
BALLARAT V BACCHUS MARSH
Ballarat has almost certainly ended Bacchus Marsh's hopes of another BFL finals campaign.
The Swans held on by three points at Alfredton on Saturday to bring up their second win on end.
The now eighth-placed Cobras charged with two late goals after Ballarat had opened up a 16-point advantage.
Already with four majors, Jake Owen had chance to give Bacchus Marsh the lead but missed a shot from close range on the run.
Cobras coach Peter Davey said they no longer deserved to be part of finals conversation.
He said inaccurate kicking for goal in the second term and a poor second half had been the foundation of the downfall.
Davey said Bacchus Marsh had not had the reqiured composure, while Ballarat also had greater intensity.
Swans coach Joe Carmody said defensive intercept marks had been a feature of the day for them, right down to the "helter skelter" of the closing minutes,
Wind was a factor with Bacchus Marsh getting away to a 19-point lead and then Ballarat providing a 30-point turn around.
Nick O'Farrell suffered a corked leg in the second quarter to end his day. He incurred the same issue on the same spot earlier this season, forcing him to be sidelined.
Keegan Mellington got through his first game since injuring a a hip in round two.
Carmody said while Mellington more than the 60 per cent of the gamne planned, he had p[ulled up well.
Ballarat 0.0, 1.5, 5.11, 7.13 (55)
Bacchus Marsh 0.0, 3.12, 4.12, 6.16 (52)
GOALS - Ballarat: Lachy Dawson 2, Keegan Mellington 1, Sam James 1, Daniel Kennedy 1, Joel Berry 1, Nicholas Weightman 1. Bacchus Marsh: Jake Owen 4, Daniel Burton 1, Ricky Shortis 1
BEST - Ballarat: Bailey Van de Heuvel, William Garner, Tobias Fisher, Luke Wynd, Daniel Kennedy, Lachy Dawson. Bacchus Marsh: Jake Owen, Tyson Shea, Daniel Velden, Connor Stone, Harrison King, Declan Phyland
SEBASTOPOL V DARLEY
Sebastopol overpowered a wasteful Darley to reinforce its arrival as a genuine Ballarat Football League premiership contender on Saturday.
The Burra unleashed a six-goal last quarter in front of its adoring fans at Marty Busch Reserve to go away by 39 points and climb into second position.
Sebastopol has defeated top-six sides Redan, Melton and Darley in consecutive weeks and is building an imposing record.
It remains one win behind ladder leader East Point, the best of a quartet on 36 premiership points and looking certain to break the longest finals drought in the BFL.
On a day impacted by a strong blustery wind, it was a matter of grinding out the game - something Sebastopol was able to do longer than the stunned Devils.
Sebastopol coach Leigh Hutchinson said the main thing was to make sure the Burra played the right brand of football.
"If the ball was there to be won, we had to go and win it, and we needed to continue to run harder than the opposition, and continue use the ball well.
"I didn't want to see us bombing the ball. We found the targets and the guys were able to get into space.
"With 10 different goalkickers, it showed the guys were willing to work for each other," Hutchinson said.
It was a hotly contested match from the first bounce, with Sebastopol and Darley throwing all they had into the game in order to gain an ascendency.
Darley took a slender one-point advantage to the first break after Sebastopol hold controlled the majority of the opening term.
In what could be one of the major talking points out of the match, Darley had the Sebastopol under seige in the third term, but was unable to capitalise on its scoring opportunities to have the scores level.
Toby Thoolen, Tony Lockyer and Lachie Cassidy were instrumental in putting the game away, with Darley fading and restricted to just two behinds in the last quarter - prompting Devils coach Heath Scotland take his players behind closed doors.
Sebastopol 2.1, 5.5, 7.7, 13.12 (90)
Darley 2.2, 3.5, 6.13, 6.15 (51)
GOALS - Sebastopol: Michael Powell 3, Geoffrey Lovett 2, Tom Petersen 1, Tony Lockyer 1, Lachlan Cassidy 1, Luke Kiel 1, Ryan Noether 1, Chase Dummett 1, Marshall Cain 1, Tobias Thoolen 1. Darley: Leigh Spiteri 3, Joel Cadman 2, Tom Evans 1
BEST - Sebastopol: Tobias Thoolen, Tony Lockyer, Michael Powell, Lachlan Cassidy, Jacob Wilkinson, Ben Hutt. Darley: Luther Baker, Tom Evans, Leigh Spiteri, Shane Page, Jake Ancrum, Joel Cadman
LAKE WENDOUREE V EAST POINT
East Point finds itself a game clear at the top of the ladder after downing Lake Wendouree by 53 points at CE Brown Reserve on Saturday.
Each took turns at being wasteful in attack early.
Coach Jake Bridges was far from happy with 4.4 from the Roos in the first term, then Lakers were unable to press home the territorial advantage they had in the second with 2.8.
East Point changed things at half-time, enabling it break the shackles.
Bridges said the Roos had early strayed away from what it wanted to do, but some adjustments had made all the difference.
East Point went into the round level on premiership points with Darley and Redan, but defeats to this duo have provided a little breathing space.
The Roos face Melton at the Eastern Oval next.
East Point 4.4, 5.7, 11.8, 15.13 (103)
Lake Wendouree 1.3, 3.11, 4.12, 6.14 (50)
GOALS - East Point: Brad Whittaker 5, Bryson McDougall 3, Cameron Lovig 2, Jordan Johnston 2, Isaac Quick 1, Jake McQueen 1, Jacob Brown 1. Lake Wendouree: Nathan Pring 2, Robbie Emerson-Jones 2, Shane Hutchinson 1, Joel O'Connell 1
BEST - East Point: Cameron Lovig, Joel Van Meel, Brad Whittaker, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus, Aden Nestor, Mitchell Walsh. Lake Wendouree: Jacob Coxall, William Henderson, Liam Hepworth, Ben Taylor, Joel O'Connell, Callum Harte
MELTON SOUTH V SUNBURY
SUNBURY stretched its winning run to four against a spirited Melton South at Melton Recreation Reserve - saluting by 53 points.
Lions coach Travis Hodgson said he was pleased to have achieved their objective and with it gone ahead of Redan into fourth position.
He said it had been a slow climb up the ladder, but Sunbury was getting into the position it wanted to be to play finals.
The Lions were seventh in round nine (out of the top six on percentage), sixth in round 10 (a win inside the top six), fifth after round 12 (two games inside the top six) and now fourth.
Sunbury lost Liam Berry and James Cree to ankle injuries in the first half, but Hodgson believes they should be right for the next outing.
Melton South coach Heath Pritchard said despite the margin the Panthers had played much better than the previous week's loss to Ballarat.
"We had a good day."
Prtichard said the second quarter had been the most disappointing aspect - allowing Sunbury to get goals far too easily as they added six majors to open up a 27-point lead.
He said one of the most encouraging aspects had been the way they played out the game, being able to match Sunbury in the last quarter.
John Kovarik has had a shoulder surgery after suffering an injuiry applying a tackle.
Sunbury meets an in-form Ballarat at Alfredton next round, while Melton South faces Darley at Darley Park.
Sunbury 1.4, 7.6, 13.11, 16.14 (110)
Melton South 3.1, 3.3, 6.5, 8.9 (57)
GOALS- Sunbury: Alec Goodson 3, Andrew Duhau 2, Thomas Werner 2, Alik Magin 2, Michael Edwards 2, Jack Landt 1, Connor Lever 1, Lachlan Bramble 1, Jarrah Maksymow 1, Mitchell Conn 1. Melton South: Shaun White 3, Samuel Hurst 2, Dale Houghton 1, Sean Humphries 1, Jonathon Bell 1
BEST - Sunbury: Alik Magin, Jayden Eales, Michael Edwards, Gregory Hay, Reece Wood, Lachlan Bramble. Melton South: Jacob Thornton Gielen, Dale Houghton, William Thornton-Gielen, Daniel Leggett, Sean Humphries, Broden Collins