Gippsland Times | SALE'S sequence of seven wins over Leongatha came to a resounding end when the Parrots handed the Magpies a 76-point drubbing.
The loss knocked the Magpies out of fifth position on the Gippsland League football ladder.
Leongatha kicked five goals in each quarter to win 20.9 (129) to 8.5 (53).
It was Leongatha's biggest win over Sale since 2003 and reversed the round five loss to the Magpies.
Star of the show was the league's leading goal kicker, full forward Jake Best, who ran rings around the Magpie defenders, booting eight goals.
Regardless of having the scoring end or not, the Parrots dominated play, winning in all key positions.
Captain Zac Vernon and Aaron Heppell were in fine touch in the midfield as were key players Tas Clingan and Cade Maskell.
Rhett Kelly provided good support in defence along with Chris Verboon, who had Sale's John Gooch well covered.
Using the corridor effectively and with plenty of numbers at the ball, the Parrots were always in control of the match that turned out to be all one way traffic. The centre clearance count was generally even but the Parrots won most of the stoppages.
The depleted Magpies' fortunes took a big dive in the first five minutes of the game when Tom Hams and coach Travis Ronaldson both went off with leg injuries never to reappear. From then on the young Magpies were always going to be in trouble.
Even so, they never gave up trying but found the pressure of a top side too much as they turned the ball over too often.
The only upside for the Magpies was that their field kicking was generally good - but most of it was in defence.
Apart from Sale's older brigade of Shane Fyfe, Justin McLay, Kane Martin, and Chris Laverty who all stood up to the task, the Magpies simply did not have enough good players and were always behind the eight ball.
With a long injury list to deal with, Sale selectors will be hard pressed to come up with a competitive side for the four remaining matches if they are to regain a finals spot.
Maroons remain in third place
TRARALGON remains in third spot on the Gippsland League football ladder after thumping Bairnsdale by 92 points.
The Maroons got out to an early lead in the first term, leaving the home side scoreless. The roles were reversed in the second, however the Redlegs failed to capitalise, managing just 1.1 to Traralgon's one point.
The Maroons kicked nine goals to extend their lead to 82 points by the last change.
With coach Mark Collison best-on-ground and Hayden Britton kicking four goals, the Maroons won 17.17 (119) to 4.3 (27).
DROUIN bounced back from two consecutive losses, defeating Moe by 43 points to sneak back into the top five.
With their finals chances on the line, the Hawks slammed on six unanswered goals during a dominant opening term to take a 37-point lead into quarter-time. It was a similar story in the second, with the visitors booting four goals to one to lead by 56 points at the main break.
Moe kicked six goals to three in a final term comeback, but the Hawks was victorious 14.15 (99) to 8.8 (56).
Ben Hughes kicked four goals for the Hawks, with Brodie Fraser best-on-ground.
FOURTH-placed Wonthaggi kept its top three chances alive with an 80-point victory at Warragul.
The much-improved Gulls led at quarter-time and were right in it at half-time, but the visitors kicked away with a five-goal to one third term.
The Power finished the job with seven unanswered majors in a dominant final quarter to win 18.17 (125) to 6.9 (45).
