Bendigo Advertiser | INGLEWOOD has again proven a bogey side for Mitiamo after two late goals to Nicholas Wharton sparked the Blues to a four-point win in round two of the Loddon Valley Football League on Saturday.
Wharton kicked the last two goals of the match, propelling the Blues to a 13.10 (88) to 12.12 (84) victory at Mitiamo.
The win was just the Blues’ third in their past 51 games, with all three having come against the Superoos, including beating them twice in their past two meetings.
“It was a fantastic result for the boys... they showed tremendous character in those last couple of minutes,” Inglewood coach Jon Starr said.
“Nick Wharton took two marks in the last couple of minutes and kicked two long goals to get us over the line.
“We gelled better today and moved the ball well at times.
“The way we were able to fight back after being down late in the game, I’m confident this will be a turning point for us.”
The best player for the Blues was captain Sam Williams at full-back.
Assistant coach Craig Crichton (two goals) again played well through the middle, while Darcy Crapper, Patrick Hartney, back pocket David Rose and Wharton were also pivotal.
Wharton and Shane Harris kicked three goals apiece for the Blues, who haven’t won a game this early in the season since 2008.
In what has become a rare sight for Inglewood supporters since the club last played finals in 2003, the win has the Blues sitting in the top five.
Recruit Steven Tolongs kicked five of Mitiamo’s 12 goals.
The Superoos, who are now 0-2, named James Drake, Michael I’Anson, Doug Thomas and Terrence Reeves their best.
• Bridgewater unfurled its fifth premiership flag in a row and then again defeated the team it has beaten in the past two grand finals, Bears Lagoon-Serpentine.
In a fiery clash at Bridgewater between the two rivals, the Mean Machine were 56-point victors, 17.15 (117) to 8.13 (61) in the grand final rematch.
The Mean Machine opened a 31-point lead at half-time, 9.8 to 4.7, before adding a further eight goals to four after the break.
“We lost Marc Lindsay (hamstring) and Callum Prest (unavailable) before the game, but the two who came in, Jared Keely and Kyle Chant, both played very well,” Bridgewater coach Andrew Collins said.
“We were a bit scratchy at times today with some of our ball use and there’s still a lot of improvement in us.”
Collins led the way for the Mean Machine to be their best player and kicked four goals.
Key forward Brad Rohde was also among the best with his haul of five goals, as was Josh McLeod, Ben Galea, Zeb Broadbent and Tom Broadbent.
New forward Mathew Davidson kicked three goals for the Bears, whose better players included Daniel Hayes, Shaun Bowles, the consistent Nathan McNally and co-coach Mick Ring.
The Bears' loss was soured by a broken jaw suffered by recruit Nathan Davidson.
• After a bye in round one, Pyramid Hill launched its season in dominant fashion.
The Bulldogs steamrolled Marong by 88 points, winning 26.11 (167) to 12.7 (79) at Marong Links Oval.
The Panthers were unable to contain the Bulldogs’ trio of tall forwards as Nathan Fitzpatrick (seven), coach Paul Grayling (five) and Sam Kennedy (four) combined to kick 16 of Pyramid Hill’s 26 goals.
“I thought our first half was really good and that obviously set it up for us,” Grayling said.
“We tailed off a bit towards the end with blokes cramping being our first game, but overall, it was a very good effort.”
The Panthers were unable to replicate their first quarter of last week that set up their round one win over Newbridge.
Instead, they were 26 points down at the first break, and by half-time that deficit had ballooned to 78 points as Pyramid Hill led 14.8 to 2.2.
“Our midfield was really good in that first half and our back six was fantastic,” Grayling said.
“And the delivery to the forwards was spot-on.”
Fitzpatrick earned best on ground honours for the Bulldogs for his seven goals.
Midfielder Bryden Morison and recruits Michael Callinan, Nicholas Dundon (two goals) and Danko Bzenic were also standouts for the Bulldogs.
After kicking just two goals in the first half, the Panthers added 10 in the second.
Luke Bennett (three) and Kyle Manley (two) were the only multiple goalkickers for the Panthers, who had Ryley Dickens, Bradley Matthews, Daryl Marshall and Brett Rogers their best.
• Calivil United showed it’s a team on the rise with a commanding 71-point win over Newbridge at home.
The Demons made the most of their opportunities in front of goal in winning 17.5 (107) to 4.12 (36).
Calivil United led by 18 points at quarter-time, but unleashed a barnstorming second quarter that put the result beyond doubt.
The Demons - now 2-0 after winning just three games last year- piled on 8.1 to 1.2 in the second quarter to set up a 59-point lead at half-time.
“The second quarter was the best footy we’ve played for a long time,” Demons coach Andrew Freemantle said.
“We moved the ball well and were really good with our disposal. Last year we couldn’t hit targets, but this year we’re using the ball better and the boys are a bit fitter.
“It was a really good team performance.”
Anthony Dennis kicked five goals for the Demons and was one of their best, along with Jordan Lea, Jay McDonald (three goals), ruckman Justin Hynes and recruit Taylor Smart.
Jordan Gilboy, Lachlan Ford and Nathan Bacon worked hard to try to spark the Maroons, who are under pressure early in the season at 0-2.
