KYNETON and Maryborough scored important Bendigo Football League wins on the first weekend of August in 2002.
For the Tigers the 84-point demolition of Kangaroo Flat nine seasons ago was ultra-important.

It marked the weekend of the re-appointment of coach Phil Carman for the 2003 season and was just Kyneton's second win for the year.

Trailing by 19 points at the last change, Maryborough came home with a six-goal last quarter to account for Eaglehawk by five points at Canterbury Park.

The win cemented the Magpies in third position on the nine-club BFL ladder. Current Maryborough coach Matthew Aston was awarded the five votes as best afield in the Advertiser's Player of the Year award.

And Kyneton's big victory avenged their round six defeat to the Roos at Dower Park earlier in the 2002 season.
Darren Chambers and Sam Young (five goals) were the best for the Tigers while Daniel Van Den Ham and Xavier Keighran bobbed up with three majors each.

THE Tigers' win came only hours after the club announced Carman would again coach the club in 2003.

In the Kyneton Showgrounds fixture the Tigers led nine goals to two at half-time -- a 46-point buffer -- and added 10 majors to four after the long break.

Carman told the Bendigo Advertiser the Tigers had turned in some of their best football of the year.
"All over the ground, everyone made a contribution," he said."

"Our defence was good as usual, the midfield played well (Simon Elsum was a significant "in") and our forwards also made a significant contribution."

Carman conceded Kangaroo Flat had gone into the game undermanned just as the Tigers had been at the start of the season, nine years back.

"Still we played good, solid footy. The guys are improving each game and starting to mature and understand what is required," Carman said.

The Kyneton coach added his team had played promisingly against Castlemaine in the club's other win for the year.
"And we played well in some of our narrow losses, but Saturday was no doubt our best performance for the year," said Carman.

He singled out the effort of Chambers on Flat coach Derrick Filo as well as Young's five goals.

"They played well but I would have to say it was a great team performance overall."

"We have a bunch of good quality kids, we have a bright future and I would say next year Kyneton would be up to playing finals footy," Carman said.

Kyneton's last three games were Maryborough (third), Golden Square (second) and Castlemaine (seventh).

EVEN though former Geelong Cat and Fremantle Docker Andrew Wills was on the field for the Two Blues, Maryborough did enough to beat Eaglehawk.

The Magpies, who had Brendan Tranter and Adam Shawcross as "ins" for the game, trailed for three-and-half quarters. But they hit the lead late in the final term and held off Eaglehawk to secure their eighth win of the season.

Danny O'Shannessy was a top target for the two Blues early in the Canterbury Park match. He booted back-to-back majors early on and when Robbie Lecek steadied and goaled from 30 metres out the Two Blues were six points up at quarter-time.

Ashley Evans, Aston and Troy Parker were creative for Maryborough linking well with teammates in the second term, but a return of 1.3 for each team was scant reward for all the hard work.

Eaglehawk had brought in Josh Ketterer and Travis Lewis at team selection to replace Linton Jacobs and Ben Hynes.
They came out hard in the third term but skills errors and wayward goal-kicking marred their efforts. The Two Blues booted 3.5.

Brad Rogerson marked strongly on the wing and kicked long to Lucas Mathews. Under pressure the reigning Michelsen Medallist pinpointed Wills, on the lead.

Wills turned and nailed a goal, and then a booming kick from outside the 50m arc from Ricky Welch delighted the parochial home crowd.

Welch's goal extended Eaglehawk's lead to 19 points.
At the three-quarter time huddle Maryborough coach Anthony O'Shea urged his team to use the breeze by kicking long and direct to the goal square.

When first Brad Carmody and then Jamie Bond marked and goaled, it looked as though O'Shea's message had been heeded.

Bond's duel with Two Blue youngster Jayden Dole (now the Kyneton full-back) was an intriguing contest, but after the Magpie goals Eaglehawk responded with consecutive majors to Scott Langan.

But that was to be the end of the Two Blue goal scoring!
The Magpies drilled three goals in a row to reduce the margin to three points. Finally, a polished passage of play from Maryborough concluded with Reed Wills booting his second major for the day ensuring the Magpies of their five-point win.

Disappointed Eaglehawk coach Brian Teasdale said his team would look for a better four-quarter effort against Golden Square in Round 16.

O'Shea said he'd aim to improve Maryborough's forward line structure for their upcoming night match against Kyneton.

GISBORNE and Golden Square recorded comfortable wins in the other Round 15 games in 2002.

Luke Saunders and Haydn Langborne were the "ins" for Gisborne for their Sunday clash with Sandhurst at the Gardiner Reserve. Darren Farrugia and Mark McInerney were the "outs".

The Dragons went in under-manned with spearhead Toby Cardew, key defender Malcolm Borchard (still playing) and centre half-forward Ben Sexton missing, all injured.
Among the Hurst replacements on an extended interchange bench were Zac Perez, Denis Grinton, Jeremy Waters and Mark Fitzgerald.

The Dogs led from the start snaring six goals in the first and third terms, and five in the last. Their two key forwards, Aaron James and Steven Reaper, dominated the contest landing 13 goals between them: James with six and Reaper seven.

In contrast, the Dragons struggled up forward the entire contest landing just nine goals for the day. They had no real marking target with matt Sexton shut down by the Dogs' Eddie Barake.

Chris Curcio and Ollie Messaoudi dominated the stoppages even though Hurst ruckman Matt Keown was on top at the centre bounces.

Meanwhile, Square consolidated second spot with a 60-point thumping of South at the QEO.

The Bloods had two big "outs" with Brady Childs (the 2011 skipper) and No. 1 ruckman John Hardinge (Elmore in 2011) unavailable.

The Bulldogs led by more than eight goals at three quarter-time as midfielders Christian Carter (before he was stretchered off with concussion), Matt Dillon (five votes), Darren Walsh and Daryl Harrison (who negated South star Mark Keck) in scintillating form.

South managed two goals in succession once only in the game and that was in junk time, in the last term. For the Bulldogs Shaun Fletcher kicked three goals, with Walsh, Dillon and Paul Sharkey adding a pair each.

Final scores, Round 15: Gisborne 18.13 (121) def. Sandhurst 9.5 (59); Kyneton 19.15 (129) def. Kangaroo Flat 6.9 (45); Maryborough 11.13 (79) def. Eaglehawk 10.14 (74) and Golden Square 15.14 (104) def. South Bendigo 8.6 (54). Bye: Castlemaine.

Richard's tips for Round 15: Eaglehawk, Maryborough, Sandhurst, Gisborne and Golden Square.
2011 season total: 46.

By Richard Jones