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central highlandsThe Courier |
Central Highlands Football League round 14 review.


SPRINGBANK continued to march towards the Central Highlands Football League finals, turning in some of its best football of the season in an 18-point victory over Daylesford on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers appreciated being back on top of the ground at a picture perfect Snake Valley, tearing the Bulldogs apart with a blistering opening half.

Boom recruit Bill Driscoll provided the spark in his first match back since round three, while key forward Paul McMahon booted four first-half goals as the yellow and black took a 49-point lead into the main break.

Seemingly dead and buried, the Bulldogs stunned the Tigers with a five-goals-to-one third term that got them back in the match and then closed the margin to 11 points mid-way through the final term.

But that was as close as coach Joel Adams and his men got to Springbank, which steadied to see off its gallant rivals, 16.9 (105) to 13.9 (87) at the final siren.

Daylesford's day went from bad to worse minutes before full time when onballer Trent Nesbitt was yellow-carded and reported.

Until then, Nesbitt had been a strong contributor for the Bulldogs, which were led by veteran forward Andrew Button (five goals), the classy Rob Rodgers and Darcy Shewell in defence, Max Risstrom around the ground and ruckman Scott Winduss.

For the Tigers, McMahon finished with five majors in a quality display, while Luke Fisher controlled the midfield and Nathan Edwards bobbed up with three important goals in the second, third and fourth terms.

The victory leaves Springbank sixth on the ladder, while Daylesford remains eighth, but still two games clear of ninth-placed Ballan, which was beaten by four points against Clunes.

Other round 14 results were: Hepburn 22.16 (148) d Creswick 5.7 (37), Buninyong 13.9 (87) d Dunnstown 5.8 (38), Beaufort 31.12 (198) d Smythesdale 2.0 (12), Gordon 27.19 (181) d Rokewood-Corindhap 7.6 (48), Learmonth 8.12 (60) d Newlyn 5.5 (35) and Carngham-Linton 13.7 (85) d Skipton 11.11 (77).

The top-of-the-table blockbuster between Waubra and Bungaree will be played on Sunday.

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