Gippsland Times | ON a wet and muddy Saturday night, Leongatha adapted better to the conditions to defeat Maffra by 44 points.
Following their 9.16 (70) to 3.8 (26) victory at Maffra, the Parrots are the only undefeated side after three rounds of Gippsland League football.
Because of the mud, it became difficult to distinguish between players and teams.
Jake Best, back at Leongatha this season after recent seasons in the VFL, played best in the conditions, kicking five goals.
Dale Hoghton, Shem Hawking and Aaron Heppell also troubled the Eagles.
Darren Sheen was the Eagles' best, booting two goals and also contributing up the ground.
Michael Coleman and Winston Gieschen also worked hard in the midfield.
Having played in similar conditions a week earlier, the Parrots were prepared for the challenge. It showed in the first term, with the visitors kicking two unanswered goals to lead by 14 points at the break.
With 12 scoring shots between them, both sides had opportunities to kick goals, but the conditions made it hard to kick accurately.
The Eagles' cause received a boost in the opening minutes of the second term when Sheen kicked the side's first goal. It proved to be the Eagles' only score and the only goal either side kicked for the term.
The Parrots led by 11 points at half-time.
With the muddy conditions making it hard to display free-flowing football, many scrimmages were created, sometimes leading to tension among the players.
The Parrots kicked the first goal of the third to extend the margin to 19 points, before a strong mark and a 50 metre penalty gave Sheen his second major for Maffra, cutting the deficit to 13.
The Parrots played better counter attacking football, kicking long out of defence to an empty forward line with teammates running onto to the ball.
After Maffra failed to make the most of the possession, two goals in time-on from Best gave Leongatha a 26-point advantage at three-quarter-time.
Having only kicked two goals in three quarters, the Eagles needed at least five more in the final term to win. However, the Parrots had other ideas, kicking four goals to one to claim a comfortable victory.