Bendigo Advertiser | HAVING earlier won just one of its first eight games, Gisborne has now strung together back-to-back victories after a second-term blitz set up its seven-point win over Castlemaine on Saturday.
Backing up last week’s victory over Kangaroo Flat, the Bulldogs held off the Magpies to win 12.13 (85) to 11.12 (78) in their BFL clash at Gardiner Reserve.
A 16-minute period of domination from Gisborne during the second quarter ultimately proved the difference.
The Magpies led by a goal, 5.2 to 4.2, 14 minutes into the second quarter, but the young Bulldogs flicked a switch as they unleashed six unanswered goals built on an exciting brand of running football, smart use going inside 50 and control around the stoppages.
The Bulldogs’ run of six unanswered goals - which included two from down-field free kicks - were part of an eight-goal second term for Gisborne in which it scored 50 of its 85 points for the game.
Full-forward Matt Knox kicked three goals for the quarter, while youngsters Jarryd Vernon and Jake Conolan kicked two each.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 31 points during the second quarter, before a goal to Castlemaine veteran James O’Brien, courtesy of a 50m penalty, on the half-time siren narrowed the deficit to 25 points.
“We were really happy with what we saw in that second quarter... the boys played the way we’ve been wanting them to and it was another step forward,” Gisborne coach Rod Sharp said.
The Magpies pressed hard in the second half to bridge the deficit, cutting it to 19 points at three quarter-time, and when they kicked the first two goals of the final term through key forward Mark Ramsey they were back within seven points and had the momentum.
But the Bulldogs held firm, with Knox’s sixth goal at the 16-minute mark pushing the advantage back out to 14 points, and while the Magpies continued to challenge - they had 15 inside 50s to six in the final term - the damage done in the second quarter proved too much to come back from.
Earlier, the Magpies - who had suspended coach Shane Robertson coach from the back of a ute behind the fence - made a flying start to the contest, kicking three of the first four goals inside the opening 13 minutes.
Klai Jermyn kicked two of them and had three by quarter-time as the Magpies led 4.2 to 2.2.
“That second quarter killed us... they kicked 12 goals for the match and eight came in the second quarter, which is extremely frustrating,” Robertson said.
• Match statistics:
Centre clearances: Gisborne 13; Castlemaine 13.
Inside 50s: Gisborne 49; Castlemaine 49.
Stoppages: Gisborne 25; Castlemaine 22.
