Bendigo Advertiser | SATURDAY’S Bendigo Football League clash between Kangaroo Flat and Maryborough lasted 113 minutes.
But ultimately, the result was decided in a 12-minute period in the first quarter.
The Roos moved back into the top five with a 32-point win, 16.18 (114) to 12.10 (82), over the Magpies at Bendigo Mazda Oval.
With a final margin of 32 points, it proved just how telling the Roos kicking an unanswered 5.4 in a 12-minute burst in the first quarter that quickly broke the game open was.
The Roos’ five unanswered goals came through Ryan McNish, Ash Benbow, Tim Brooks, Ross Turner and the returning Mitch Hough.
The Roos moved the ball quick, and with space in the forward line were consistently able to generate scores from their inside 50 opportunities.
By quarter-time they had 7.6 on the board to the Magpies’ 2.1 to lead by 35 points.
Those 13 first quarter-scores came from 15 inside 50 entries, with another long afternoon looking ahead for the winless Magpies.
However, the Magpies rallied, and while they never looked like winning, produced some of their most competitive football of the season and never let the scoreboard get out of hand.
They outscored the Roos 5.3 to 3.6 in the second term, with Coby Perry providing plenty of excitement in the forward line.
Perry kicked three goals in the quarter - all from marks - and would later finish the match with five to follow on from his six against Kyneton last round.
The Magpies got as close as 19 points in the third quarter, but the Roos always had the answers, with one of the key differences between the two sides Kangaroo Flat’s marking options across half-forward.
Braydan Knox, McNish and Brooks all presented as strong targets for the Roos and combined for 11 goals.
Knox and McNish each bagged four goals in their best games of the season, while Brooks kicked three - including both the first and last of the game.
One of Knox’s goals came from a hanger over the top of Alex Mahony in the second term that should again see him feature on The Footy Show’s Almost Football Legends segment.
“There were some positive signs today. I thought offensively we were good, other than some inaccuracy that we’ll need to improve on, but defensively we need to get better,” Roos coach Jason Stevens said.
Hough, who rejoined the Roos during the week, slotted straight back into the midfield and was his side’s best player, along with the forward trio of McNish, Brooks and Knox and wingman Benbow.
The Roos suffered injuries to George Preston (hamstring), Simon Davies (hamstring) and Jack Bowyer (corkie).
The effort of Maryborough couldn’t be questioned and for the first time since round one the Magpies won the last quarter when they kicked 3.4 to 3.2, but they were hurt too often by poor disposal, fumbles and missed tackles early.
Best for the Magpies included Alex Mahony - who kicked a 65m goal - Perry, Billy Mahony and co-captain Daniel Vadala.
The Magpies had co-captain Matthew Bond reported late in the game for an incident against Liam Murphy.
• Match statistics:
Centre clearances: Kangaroo Flat 17; Maryborough 14.
Inside 50s: Kangaroo Flat 52; Maryborough 48.
Stoppages: Kangaroo Flat 15; Maryborough 16.
