Minute of fortune

BEARS Lagoon Serpentine recruit Orion Downing‘s blistering minute in front of goal turned likely defeat into victory in Saturday’s Loddon Valley league match against winless Calivil.

Two quick-succession goals from the former Huntly player put Serpentine up by 12 points mid-way through the last term after trailing by eight points at the final break.

A behind off the boot of Andrew Gladman and another snap for goal by James Bailey from a desperate passage of play 20 metres out saw the Bears extend their lead to 20 points.,

But Calivil was not done as it looked to regain scoreboard dominance it had enjoyed in the first term booting 4.3 to a wildly inaccurate home side’s 1.6.

Ben Baker, who would be named Calivil’s best, went in for the hard ball, received a free in front of sticks and goaled.

Big man Thomas Piazza won a free quick in the centre, maximised a 50-metre people and also kicked straight.

But time was ticking and the siren sounded, Calivil falling short by seven points in its most impressive showing yet of the season and against Bears Lagoon Serpentine, rated the competition’s most improved team of 2023.

Inglewood punished Mitiamo with a 123-point win over Mitiamo and celebrating a bag for Charlie McGaw who was the standout for goals in Saturday’s round.

Only three goals separated the two sides after the first break but that’s when Inglewood upped the intensity and booted 9.4 while keeping the home side to just two behinds.

A less accurate 6.5 in the third term put the result beyond doubt with final quarter accuracy a concern - Inglewood put through 10 behinds.

Dorevitch, Angelino, Kennedy and of course McGaw were in the best for the Blues who continued growing confidence after knocking off Bridgewater and recorded their first win over Mitiamo in almost a decade.

A six-goal second term saw Marong break clear of Pyramid Hill and go onto to record a 42-point victory at Malone Park.

The Panthers had nine goal scorers in what was a torrid day for Bulldog defenders.

Steve Gunther was named best for the Dogs.

Draw works against improving Demons

THE solid showing of Calivil last Saturday would normally say to watch the Demons step up a notch in the following round.

But when the opponent will be rampaging reigning premiers Marong, the Demons will need to lift six notches to beat the side weekly boasting options to goal and in front of sticks.

Anthony Dennis’ improving outfit can probably match Marong for the first quarter this weekend.

Their challenge will be to hold not only gun forward turned acting ruckman

SENIORS

25 - (4) - Joshua Martyn - Bridgewater

18 - (3) - Brandyn Grenfell - Marong

15 - (10) - Charlie McGaw - Inglewood

14 - (4) - Andrew Gladman - BL Serpentine

13 - (2) - Kain Robins - Marong

13 - (2) - Matthew Riordan - Marong

11 - (3) - Ryley Taylor - Marong

11 - (2) - Justin Laird - BL Serpentine

10 - (1) - Keelan Payne - Inglewood

Seniors

GOALS - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: C. Draper, A. Gladman 4, J. Bailey, J. Laird, O. Downing 2, D. Poulter. Calivil: B. Baker 6, A. Dennis, C. Thompson 2, C. Anderson, B. Masson, T. Piazza, L. Mangan. BEST - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: J. Bailey, C. Draper, C. Gadsden, A. Gladman, A. Lewin, J. Taig. Calivil: B. Baker, A. Dennis, J. Hynes, J. Lawry, C.

GOALS - Mitiamo: A. Cussen 3, B. Baines 2, H. Danziger, J. Rasmussen. Inglewood: C. McGaw 10, S. Dorevitch, F. Payne 3, J. Lovett 2, J. Leach, N. Angelino, B. Cotchett, K. Payne, T. Kendal, D. Polack.

BEST - Mitiamo: B. Baines, A. Cussen, L. Lougoon, Z. Morrison, D. Proud, R. Turner. Inglewood: N. Angelino, S. Dorevitch, T. Kennedy, C. McGaw, F. Payne, C. Wright.

(124)

Hill 4.0 5.3 9.3 13.4 (82)

GOALS - Marong: B. Grenfell, R. Taylor, N. Devanny 3, K. Robins, C. Gregg, M. Riordan 2, J. McCaig, K. Manley, R. Tibbett. Pyramid Hill: B. George, J. Woodward 3, Z. Alford, W. Perryman, T. Brennan 2, S. Mann.

BEST - Marong: L. Frankel, B. Grenfell, L. Lee, N. McCaig, R. Taylor, R. Tibbett. Pyramid Hill: S. Gunther, T. Hetherington, G. James, S. Mann, D. Morison, D. Slingo.

(96)

8.2 (50)

GOALS - Bridgewater: J. Martyn 4, N. Naughton, B. Irvine 3, T. Estrada, D. Wood, J. Ellings, E. Pavlich. Newbridge: A. Fortune 4, M. Van Poppel, C. Argus, M. Giri, C. Van Aken.

BEST - Bridgewater: J. Ellings, C. Hindle, N. Naughton, E. Pavlich, J. Symons, D. Wood. Newbridge: C. Argus, W. Copland, A. Fortune, D. Lloyd, A. Moore, D. Stevens.

Brayden Grenfell but also the bevy of supporting acts dotted around the ground for the Panthers.

‘If success is to be measured on Saturday, level of containment will be a good yardstick for the Demons.

Pyramid Hill should bounce back a winner when hosting Bridgewater at Mitchell Park.

The Bulldogs are one of the top three sides in the competition and keen to avenge last year’s preliminary final loss at the hands of Bridgewater. The Mean

RESERVES

12 - (3) - Jonty Davis - Marong

9 - (5) - Clay Anstee - BL Serpentine 9 - (1) - Rowan Pollock - Pyramid Hill 9 - (0) - Bradley Matthews - Marong 8 - (3) - Joel Pianto - Mitiamo Reserves 8 - (1) - Mitchell Dingwall - Pyramid Hill 7 - (4) - Owen Friswell - Newbridge

7 - (2) - Reece Gretgrix - Marong

Machine is still a work in progress this season and will still be without Harry McKinley, injured with a bruised heart a fortnight ago against Inglewood. Inglewood will be chasing a third straight win when up against Maiden Gully. The Blues can expect some close-check play from the Eagles.

And Newbridge hosts Mitiamo in a clash of two sides yet to show consistent form. The match will be played at Mitiamo as Newbridge ground repairs continue after last year’s floods.

GOALS - Bridgewater: J. Roberts 2. Newbridge: O. Friswell 4, C. Dixon 3, M. Shearman, C. Grant, S. Brynhildsen, B. Butler, J. O’Neill, D. Whan, N. Gray.

- Bridgewater: J. Green, J. Higgins, A. O’Connor-Stubbs, J. Roberts, J. Spiller, J. Wild. Newbridge: O. Friswell, O. Gordon, C. Grant, R. Hipworth, J. O’Neill, D. Whan.

GOALS - Mitiamo: J. Pianto 3, C. Milne, G. West 2, R. Varcoe, K. Galvin, A. McKean, A. White. Inglewood: Z. Schmidt 2, C. Bannister, S. Hare, S. Morgan.

BEST - Mitiamo: K. Galvin, A. McKean, C. Milne, J. Pianto, R. Varcoe, C. Williams. Inglewood: L. Field, C. MacKinnon, C. Maher, J. Sleep, T. Stevenson. Marong 2.4 5.7 10.8 13.13 (91) Pyramid Hill 3.1 3.4 4.5 4.8 (32)

GOALS - Marong: A. Collins, T. Thach, J. Davis 3, R. Gretgrix 2, T. Grant. Pyramid Hill: M. Dingwall, P. Monaghan, R. Pollock, T. Walker.

BEST - Marong: J. Davis, T. Grant, J. Gretgrix, B. Stewart, T. Thach, C. Williamson. Pyramid Hill: M. Dingwall, M. Moon, B. Moon, G. Quinn, T. Walker. BL Serpentine 2.3 6.8 9.10 13.13 (91) Calivil 1.1 1.1 1.3 2.3 (15) v Mitiamo Inglewood v Maiden Gully Calivil v Marong Bears Lagoon Serpentine bye

GOALS - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: C. Anstee 5, M. Hancock 3, T. Strauch, K. Paxton, C. Davies, J. Gladman, C. O’Shannessy. Calivil: J. Wakefield, T. Wakefield.

BEST - Bears Lagoon Serpentine: O. Amy, C. Anstee, C. Davies, M. Hancock, Z. Hollis, C. O’Shannessy. Calivil: B. Columbus, J. Demeo, C. Henson, T. Rial, N. Vine, J. Wakefield.