Skipton has been challenged and has come out victorious in the top of the table clash with Rokewood-Corindhap in the RegionalOne Lexton Plains Football League on Sunday.The game was played at a furious pace, with strong tackling and hard bumps a feature.
Skipton got the break in the first term, but the Grasshoppers came back in the second to trail by two points at half time.
Grasshopper coach Tom Mullane-Grant warned his players prior to the third term that the first ten minutes would be pivotal.
And the message seemed to have got through, as Rokewood-Corindhap hit the front for the first time early in the term.
But Skipton responded, regained the lead and kicked ahead leading by 23 points at the last change.
Another challenge in the final quarter had Rokewood-Corindhap five points down, before Skipton finally broke the backs of the Grasshoppers.
They piled on eight final term goals to help celebrate coach Tim McKay’s 150th match for Skipton, 21.9 (135) to 14.10 (94).
Dale Larkin had a day out with nine Skipton goals, while Tom Mullane-Grant kicked five, including four in the final term.
GOALS: Skipton: Dale Larkin 9, Kiernan Molloy 4, Tim McKay, Joel Riske 3, Toby Boyle, Lachlan Wilkie 1. Rokewood-Corindhap: Tom Mullane-Grant 5, Luke Ashmore, Ryan Raglus, Evan Mason 2, Daniel Keirl, Pat Smith, Mark Ashmore 1.
BEST: Skipton: Damien Larkin, Toby Boyle, Graeme Lench, Lachlan Wilkie, Cam Brown, Danny George. Rokewood-Corindhap: Karl Begbie, Stuart Matheson, Leigh Russell, Evan Mason, Jason Hutchins, Chris Hall.
Natte-Bealiba has finally given its season some impetus, breaking its six match losing streak with a 69 point win over Lexton.
The 21.11 (137) to 10.8 (68) win has put the Swans back on level terms with Illabarook, and a game up on Lexton with seven matches remaining.
Things clicked with Natte-Bealiba right from the start, with long serving players Brent Mortlock, Stephen Ross and Jamie Andrews making the running.
Added to that was Jordan Liddle on the wing, and Nathan McClelland who was in the play all day.
Lexton had few winners on the day.
Lloyd Bennett with three goals was a trier, as was Tim Oliver and Nick Walsh.
But little else went right for the Tigers as their skills were below par, given repeated chances for Natte-Bealiba to turn the ball over.
Up forward waiting was Jamie Evans (five goals), and Stephen Ross (four).
GOALS: Natte-Bealiba: Jamie Evans 5, Stephen Ross 4, Brent Mortlock, Nathan McClelland 3, Shane Mortlock 2, Jamie Andrews, Leigh Berlund, Grant Burns, Shane Jardine 1. Lexton: Lloyd Bennett 3, Jarrod Allan 2, Arlyn Harris, Nick Walsh, Zac Thorne, Junior Gilmour, Jeremy Jenkins 1.
BEST: Natte-Bealiba: Shane Mortlock, Leigh Berlund, Brent Mortlock, Anthony Ross, Rhys Long, Nathan Ross. Lexton: Lloyd Bennett, Sam Miller, Tim Oliver, Hugh Briody, Tom Brand, Mark Shaw.
Carngham-Linton survived a second half surge from Illabarook to hold onto a 17 point win at Linton on Saturday.
The Saints led by 31 points at the main break, but were outscored ten goals to seven in the second half.
Illabarook would have taken a lot from the 14.7 (91) to 16.12 (108) score line, but the bottom line is they are still in a fight for fifth spot.
Carngham-Linton still does not seem to be fully on its game, and time is starting to run out for it.
The Saints sit third, but are under pressure from Navarre.
Travis Grigg kicked his biggest bag of goals for the Saints with eight, while Malcolm Niblett returned from Nth Ballarat to be named best.
Illabarook’s goals were spread; Clint Aspland with two was named best in the improved performance.
GOALS: Carngham-Linton: Travis Grigg 8, Robbie Greenbank, Jason Hill, Duane Bodey 2, Jade Keam, Guy Glenister 1. Illabarook: Clint Aspland, Shannon Berriman, Daniel Gamble, Simon Marra 2, Brian Lovison, Jake Cahill, Beau Ketchen, Steven Tung, Ryan Dunstan 1.
BEST: Carngham-Linton: Malcolm Niblett, Travis Grigg, James Templeton, James Rayner, Tim Clarke, Guy Glenister. Illabarook: Clint Aspland, Beau Ketchen, Dave Webster, Joel van Gils, Troy Conner, Luke Preston.
Navarre remains in touch with the top three, after running out 59 point winners over Ararat Eagles, 17.12 (114) to 8.7 (55).
But it took two quarters to shake them off.
The Eagles trailed by just 13 points at half time, after playing the better football in the second term, without doing damage on the scoreboard.
However the second half was all Navarre.
Sam Robertson (six goals) and a dominant midfield led the Grasshoppers to a nine goals to two second half.
Aiden Bell stretched his lead in Ararat’s goal kicking award with another four.
GOALS: Navarre: Sam Robertson 6, Wayne Driscoll 3, Zach Parry, James Watts 2, Louis Hannett, Tom Newton, Ben Martin, Ash Driscoll 1. Ararat Eagles: Aiden Bell 4, Craig Cooper, Brent Bulger, Ben Birch-Burton, Justin Coole 1.
BEST: Navarre: James Watts, Zach Parry, Nick Murphy, Tom Newton, Lachlan Robertson. Ararat Eagles: Simon Alexander, Mitch Welsh, Dan O’Connell, Matt Zorkau, Aiden Bell.
Next weeks games:
Saturday
Navarre v Illabarook
Skipton v Natte-Bealiba
Lexton v Rokewood-Corindhap
Sunday
Ararat Eagles v Carngham-Linton
By Rhys Breahut
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
