Bendigo Advertiser | GISBORNE ended its six-game losing streak, while costing Kangaroo Flat its position in the Bendigo Football League top five with a 14-point win at Gardiner Reserve on Saturday.
The Bulldogs got the jump on the Roos early to set up their 17.14 (116) to 15.12 (102) victory at Gardiner Reserve.
While it was only the Bulldogs’ second win of the season, they are back within two games of the top five at the halfway mark.
“You’ve always got to offer players hope and I’m just rapt for the boys today,” Gisborne coach Rod Sharp said.
“The boys enjoyed their footy today and that’s what it’s all about.”
The Bulldogs have spent much of this season playing catch-up footy against the opposition - they hadn’t led at any break since round two - but they made the early running on Saturday when they opened a 19-point lead at quarter-time, 6.3 to 3.2.
“That’s what set the game up for us... the intensity from the first bounce was there and to kick six goals in the first quarter, it was a bit like Richmond on Friday night in that we took our opportunities,” Sharp said.
There were plenty of young pups in the Bulldogs team who followed the lead of four of the club’s experienced players in Ben Sonogan, Tom May, captain Casey Summerfield and Tom Waters (two goals).
Sonogan took 16 marks and kicked five goals, while May - who is shaving his dreadlocks to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease Australia - was ferocious in laying 11 tackles, winning 10 clearances and kicking three goals.
“Sonogan and May both played games that any football club would be proud of,” Sharp said.
Youngster Shannon Greetham also did a fine job in blanketing the Roos’ James Saville to be one of the Bulldogs’ best players.
Saturday’s loss followed a familiar trend for Kangaroo Flat of trailing its opposition at half-time.
The Roos’ 24-point deficit at the main break was the eighth time in their nine games this season they have been behind at half-time.
“We’re just giving sides too much of a start and chasing tail and we can’t continue to allow sides to do that to us if we want to play a part in September,” coach Jason Stevens said.
“We came home really strongly, but that poor first half was costly and it’s disappointing we can’t sustain four quarters.”
The best player for the Roos was Simon Davies through the midfield.
George Preston on a wing and half-back worked into the game after a quiet start, while Ryley Barrack, who kicked three of his four goals in the last quarter, and half-forward Sam Kennedy were also among the best for the Roos, who fell from fifth to sixth.
