Wimmera-Mail Times | ST ARNAUD has claimed top spot on the North Central Football League ladder after a 20-point win against Donald on Saturday.
The match was the top-of-the-table clash and the contest did not disappoint, with the league’s benchmark sides going toe-to-toe.
In the end, St Arnaud’s 85 was too much for Donald’s 65.
In unfavourable conditions, Donald made a promising start, holding the Saints scoreless at quarter time and taking a 13-point lead.
But it changed quickly as St Arnaud slammed home six goals with the wind in the second term to lead by 25 at half-time.
Both sides booted six goals after the main break, but the damage had already been done.
Donald threw everything at the Saints but could not reel in the deficit.
Royal Blues coach Luke Fisher said an unproductive first quarter with the breeze cost them.
‘‘We probably wasted early opportunities. We didn’t capitalise on having the wind in the first quarter,’’ he said.
Donald lost Blake Luehman to an ankle injury in the first term and Darcy Harrison to a groin in the second, but Fisher said he was proud of how his side continued to fight.
‘‘Once again we didn’t lay down and we kept fighting back,’’ he said.
‘‘We really put the pressure on them in the last quarter.’’
Fisher said the Royal Blues fumbled under pressure at times, but was
confident they would learn and improve from the occasion.
‘‘We’ve had a look at everyone now and we do have a young side that is improving each week,’’ he said.
‘‘We work towards the end of the season confident that if we can continue to build, we can go deep into finals.’’
In other matches, Charlton defeated Boort by 130 points, while Wycheproof-Narraport outlasted Wedderburn by 20 points.
Birchip-Watchem had a bye.
