Gippsland Times |Ladder leaders Sale City consolidated their billing on a top three finish with a 14-point win over a fast finishing Churchill in a hard-fought contest.
Three points separated the sides at the first change, with the home side extending its lead to nine ahead of the main break.
Churchill was trailing by 39 points at the final change and the Dogs appeared poised to run home comfortable winners before a purple patch saw the visitors make a late charge on the scoreboard.
Sale City eventually won the clash 13.19 (97) to 12.11 (83).
Winning the toss, City captain Matt Lutze quickly went about imposing his presence and while the ink was still drying on the signing of former Maffra premiership player Nick Horsford, he was providing an imposing target in the forward 50 combining with Jake Schuback in a tight and physical opening quarter.
Schuback was amongst it early, a free kick against Churchill's best on ground Brayden Kokshoorn handing City's forward the opening shot at goal which faded away.
Play rebounded back and forth between the arches before Nick Grainger slotted one through from the pocket to get the scoreboard ticking over.
Poor execution by both sides saw the ball rebounding from end to end, with inaccurate kicking resulting in the ball being delivered down the throat of the opposition as the Cougars struggled to open their account. Nick Celima's set shot from 30 metres out faded to the near side in the blustery conditions before the deadlock was broken.
City was measured with quick and direct ball movement from defence resulting in Tom Wilsons shot on goal directly in front which hit the post.
Both sides had their chances and while Dillon Leys was getting his hands on plenty of the ball, Leigh McDonald was keeping a close check on David Piasente whose second and third efforts provided City with many a turnover.
Brendan Rathnow and Jake Milham combined in a strong passage of play which set Lutze up with a shot at goal, but the captain failed to seal the major. The turnover seeing the Cougars, through coach Allan Chandler and experienced campaigner Dale Patterson in defence, move the ball forward with Tim Darby recording his first of two with a shot from the pocket.
Leading by three points, Schuback was unable to take his chances in front of goal with the staunch Cougars defence punching the ball across the line.
An arm wrestle played out with the sides exchanging blow for blow on the scoreboard. Grainger, like Schuback, couldn't line up the goals before the home side registered consecutive majors with the Cougars yet to enter their forward 50.
But when they did they made the most of their opportunities. Brad Knowles kicked things off before Kurt Holt got in on the act to reel the margin back to eight points.
The Cougars kept charging, but errant kicks were cut off by City coach Hayden Burgiel who went about mopping up across half back with a number of strong marks halting Churchill's run forward.
Chris Williams didn't have any issues in breaking the Dogs defence to register his sides third unanswered in a strong finish to the first half.
It was an avalanche of goals from the home side in the premiership term, Mitch Bennett, Brad McKay, Keenan Hughes and Schuback were all among the play on the scoreboard as they boasted a 6.4 (40) to 1.4 (10) term.
Down and out, Churchill opened the final stanza with the first major before Hughes and Grainger scored to extend the top Dogs margin to well beyond 45 points.
Stepping it up a cog in the engine room Travis Brighton led the visitors purple patch, fast ferocious tackling featured as the Cougars took the game on.
Surely but slowly the challenge on the scoreboard was mounted. Luke Brereton reduced the deficit to 33 points, it was followed by a procession of majors.
Knowles had his second, then Nathan Osborne and McDonald had their chances but their snap shots at goal missed, before Brighton's telling long shot from outside 50 brought the visitors to within three kicks.
Dog's Piasente amassed possessions in a stellar individual performance to be named best a field, Rathnow was the architect in the second and third terms in the forward 50 making the most of his opportunities to shake the tag and run amok.
Beau Bennett was commanding when pushing forward with ruckman Harry Kaandorp among the Dogs standout players as he held his own against the formidable ruck combination of Leys and Andrew Brown.
Churchill defender Kokshoorn wore Schuback like a glove and was aided well by the likes of Jarred Broadbent and Jordon Fenech. Broadbent was the general down back, Knowles lifted the side when they took the game on and Williams found plenty of the ball in a noteworthy performance.
Nine goals for Foat
A nine goal haul from Woodside captain Ryan Foat aided his side to its fourth win of the season in a barnstorming performance against Glengarry, 29.18 (192) to 12.5 (77).
On the receiving end of an old fashioned drubbing against Rosedale last round, the Wildcats brushed aside the disappointment of the week prior, and with the return of a number of key players went about hitting the scoreboard early, booting seven majors in the opening term.
Adding a further eight goals to one ahead of half time, the home side boasted an unassailable 85-point margin at the long change.
The Wildcat's Keenan Dingo was proving a handful on the ball amassing possessions with his creativity setting up several goals, while Foat was an imposing tall figure in forward 50.
The second half was in vast contrast to the first, with the Magpies taking flight and matching the home side in many facets of the game including the scoreboard with a 10 goal second half.
The charge for the visitors was led by Shae Duncan who collected the three votes along with a bag of six majors, with Leigh O'Mara and Mitch Marino solid contributors as they demonstrated flair around the contests.
The Magpies' strong second half showing was one of their best performances to date.
Foat was one of 10 goal scorers along, with Trent Arthur kicking four goals and three each to Tom Love and Keenan Dingo.
The options in the forward line and running midfield brigade were an embarrassment of riches for the seventh placed Wildcats who leap frogged Cowwarr on the premiership ladder standings.
