BFNL WRAP | Melton returns to its very best, East Point ready for showdown

The match-of-the-round between second and third was a one-way rout in favour of the visitors at Darley Park as Melton raced out of the blocks with six goals to nil in the first quarter to essentially put an end to the contest.

While Darley kicked five goals in the second quarter to close the gap to 23 points at half time, that was as good as it got, held goalless after half time, with Melton running away to a 16.8 (104) to 5.6 (36) win.

Melton coach Troy Scoble said he could not fault his team's endeavour all day.

"We played brilliant, and although it's all in hindsight, coming off the week that we did really helped us correct, or focus on a few areas of our game that we needed to improve on," he said.

"We did play well, we had good pressure, good effort and sometimes you just have those days where you're execution is very good, we were fortunate to have one.

"The first quarter was very competitive, I felt it was a really even ball game, but when we went forward, we were more effective than Darley were. We hit the scoreboard, Darley didn't.

"When we play away from home, it's something that we do very much focus on, our start. It's important to get on the scoreboard and get moving. We always know that when a team plays at home, especially the top teams, they are going to get a run on at some stage."

North Ballarat continued on its winnings ways, but not without a third-quarter fright from a young Redan side.

The Roosters conceded just one goal in the first half and looked set for a big win, but lost concentration in the third term as Redan got a run on.

Three late goals in the quarter cut the margin to a manageable four goals, and North coach Brendan McCartney would have had a flashback to what happened to Collingwood on Friday night.

But North steadied early in the final quarter and ran away by kicking the final goals of the match to win by 45 points.

McCartney was happy with the performance after the game, although his team was a bit flat in the rooms.

"I always say to our group about we need to respect the Redan footy club, because they have a capacity to have moments where they catch fire out of nowhere and they did that," he said.

"The learning for our boys from it is, 'you don't have to be perfect all the time'. The basics of our game weren't there a little bit, not effort, more just technical stuff.

"As I said to them just after the game, they re-calibrated and got back to playing the game and won well."

McCartney gave an insight into the team's psyche.

"They are a quiet group, they aim to please," he said. "They are young by virtue and they really enjoy each other's company, they have standards and expectations and sometimes they feel they haven't met them."

If ever a side needed a bye, and in this case two weeks off, it is Redan. Another soldier went down early in the contest, with first gamer, underage player Elliott Bushell ending the game on crutches after an ankle injury in the opening quarter.

The Lions have got enough wins on the board, despite the club's injury concerns to make a run in the second half of the year if they manage to get some players back after the bye.

The song was sung loud in the Sebastopol rooms after the Burra finally won its second game of the season with a solid victory over a plucky Melton South.

While it was far from the perfect performance from Tony Lockyer's men, it was a near perfect first quarter that gave them the break and allowed them to coast to a solid win.

The Burra slammed on seven goals to nil in the opening term to open up the match-winning lead, and while Melton South showed some signs, putting a player behind the ball in order to slingshot out of defence, the Burra were able to do what they needed to do to run out winners 15.17 (107) to 4.10 (34).

Lockyer said after the match, it was a sense of relief and sense of hard-work starting to pay off.

"I was very pleased with our first quarter and our approach to the game, we executed exactly what we wanted to do at the start," he said.

"I felt we did the job we had to do in the end, there were certainly some areas we need to improve on which we noticed as the game went on.

"Melton South to their credit did a great job of clamping us down and their spare behind the ball was quite effective, particularly in the second quarter. I felt we played into their hands a little bit, we tried a couple of things, we didn't really change gears in the second quarter."

Sebastopol lost Jed Hill with a back injury while the club also went into the match with two changes to players out with illnesses.

"On Friday night, we thought we might have been four down, but we only ended up losing two, there's a lot going around," Lockyer said.

He said any win would do wonders for the team's confidence.

"It's a reward, it's been a challenging season so far," he said. "This was a game we needed to win and win well and our approach, particularly early was fantastic."

The job of getting the four points against Ballarat is in the bag, but East Point is already looking at next weekend's top-of-the-table blockbuster with Sunbury in what looms as a definitive clash for both clubs.

on Saturday, the Kangaroos pulled away in the second half to deny a dogged Ballarat line-up, who was well in the contest to half time.

The 17.19 (121) to 8.5 (53) win was set-up with a six-goal-to-one third quarter as Jordan Johnston took control of the game. Johnston would finish with a six-goal half on the day, while Bryson McDougall booted five in a dominant second half.

East Point coach Joe Carmody said the third quarter turned the match in his team's favour after a relatively even first half.

"Jordy was just fantastic in that third quarter, and that helped us get a hold of them then," he said.

"It was a great day for the club, we had our past players there and the welcome to country was probably the best I've been a part of, it was a big day for the club and it meant a lot to our players."

The only potential down side for East Point was a watch-and-see on Jackson Merrett who played predominantly forward after experiencing some tightness, he will be monitored during the week.

"We'll see what it is, if it's something that isn't getting better, we'll look at players to bring up to play a similar role," he said.

After three good wins to start the season, the Swans have been found wanting against a series of top-ranked opponents. Melton South next weekend looms as an opportunity to get back into winning form before the mid-season bye.

Any thought that after a big month, Sunbury might be a touch off its game against Lake Wendouree were put to bed quickly on Saturday with the Lions dominant from start to finish against a perplexed Lakers.

The Lakers were so good last weekend in the game with Redan, but could not find any answers to a dominant display from the Sunbury midfield which took control early and never once let up.

In the end, the Lions races away to a 128-point mauling, winning 25.12 (162) to 5.4 (34).

Sunbury coach Matt White said the start was crucial for his side.

"We knew they could start a game, we've been watching a lot of their games and we knew that we didn't want to give them a sniff," he said.

"They kicked the first, but we put on the next six goals and put the foot on the throat for the rest of the day.

"The guys have got some good form, Mitch McLean popped up in the last quarter, Jake Sutton got on the end of a few and Jacob Bygate, even though he had a bit of a knock on his knee, he was able to bob up and kick five.

"I'm particularly rapt from Jacob, he was out of the team because Paddy Scanlan had his position, and he's fought his way back. Our two's juggernaut rolls on and we keep being able to bring in players to fill roles, it's a great position to be in."

For the Lakers, it doesn't get any easier as they chase their first win with an away trip to Melton next weekend before the club's first bye of the season the following weeks.