call gets scoreboard respect

BOORT had scoreboard dominance against North Central league bottom side St Arnaud all day.

But the match had been reduced to a frustrating battle of defences in the second half that prevented home-side Boort from recording a three-figure score.

The Saints actually breached the gap when Jake Male booted a goal mid-way into the final term, a major coming off the back of sloppy passages from both teams that saw the scoreboard ticking over with behinds for St Arnaud. Boort then created opportunity, turning over another Saints’ forward thrust and delivering the ball to Shane Biggs who kicked his fourth goal of the game. Minutes later it was Pies’ skipper Jack Smith who goaled on the siren to add a little more respect to the scoreboard.

Smith had started the game in defence and would be key to repelling St

Seniors

GOALS - Wedderburn: T. Campbell, S. Barnes

Benaim, C. Lowry, J. Rosengren. Nullawil: A. Thomson 6, J. Taylor, D. Isbister, A. Forrester, D. Watts, J. Humphreys.

BEST - Wedderburn: J. Rosengren, C. Lowry, A. Postle, S. Barnes, T. Campbell, L. Brown. Nullawil: D. Smith, D. Isbister, J. Casey, K. Doran, J. Humphreys, A. Thomson.

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: B. Fraser 6, D. McLennan 3, G. Hommelhoff, C. Green 2, R. Allan. Charlton: C. Gavaghan, R. Woods, N. Thompson.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: S. Allan, D. McLennan, B. Fraser, K. Hommelhoff, M. Beckmans, A. Hogan. Charlton: C. Fitzpatrick, N. Thompson, S. Woods, R. Woods, T. Hill, J. Thompson.

Boort 3.5 7.5 10.11 12.14 (86) St Arnaud 1.0 1.2 2.2 3.5 (23)

GOALS - Boort: S. Biggs, N. McLaren 4, J. Fitzpatrick 2, R. McGhie, J. Smith. St Arnaud: J. Male, M. Birthisel, W. Bertalli.

BEST - Boort: R. McGhie, J. Lanyon, N. Twigg, J. Fitzpatrick, A. Davis, J. Smith. St Arnaud: B. Organ, N. Birthisel, J. Tillig, M. Birthisel, W. Bertalli, H. Durward.

Donald 1.4 2.6 4.7 6.8 (44) Sea Lake

GOALS - Donald: S. Dunstan 3, T. Grant, R. Bath, R. McGough. Sea Lake Nandaly: J. Jenkins 6, W. Simpson, J. Summerhayes 5, T. Cox 3, T. Mckenzie, B. Delmenico 2, B. McInnes.

BEST - Donald: J. Wallin, E. Landwehr, R. Barrack, R. McGough, R. O’Shannessy, R. Young. Sea Lake Nandaly: T. Donnan, A. Mertz, B. Delmenico, J. Jenkins, J. Summerhayes, K. Donnan.

Arnaud for four quarters, teaming well with McGhie at centre half back who was named the Pies’ best.

Onballers Nathan Twigg and Jarrod Fitzpatrick also had another good day out as Boort skipped away to a percentage-boosting win.

The real work was done in the second quarter with the Pies’ most accurate term of football for the season - four goals and not a single behind registered.

Small men Jono Lanyon and Alex Davis made their presence felt over the four quarters.

Nat McLaren showed dominance on the flank kicking four goals.

The never-say-die attitude of St Arnaud kept Boort defenders on their toes for the full four quarters, stand tall deep and then looking for options regain momentum, even if sometimes taking an indirect route.

Northern roadtrips to important mid-season perspective

WEDDERBURN and Boort are back on the road this Saturday with crucial appointments to conclude the first half of North Central season.

The Redbacks had their chances against debutante glamour side Nullawil last Saturday.

But a better-executed game plan will be required to keep in the hunt against the Sea Lake Nandaly juggernaut that is dispensing opponents without mercy.

Wedderburn’s midfield will need greater consistency and committed attack to allow Sam Barnes, Campbell and Benaim the space to convert accurately.

Postle is having a stellar season in the ruck - better linking the centre work with disciplined and directional forward thrusts could see the Redbacks limit the Tigers.

Boort has shown its defence lines are pretty much equal to any other club in the

In Front Of Goal Seniors

32 - (3) - Sam Dunstan - Donald

27 - (0) - Ben Edwards - Birchip Watchem

25 - (6) - Adam Thomson - Nullawil

23 - (1) - Billy Mcinnes - Sea Lake Nandaly

21 - (2) - Gedd Hommelhoff - Wycheproof N

21 - (3) - Sam Barnes - Wedderburn

19 - (3) - Tom Campbell - Wedderburn

19 - (0) - Mitch Farmer - Nullawil

17 - (0) - Nathan Gordon - Birchip Watchem

17 - (5) - Will Simpson - Sea Lake Nandaly 17 - (0) - Daniel Castellano - Birchip Watchem

16 - (2) - Cody Green - Wycheproof Narraport RESERVES

27 - (9) - Sam Goldsmith - Nullawil

24 - (3) - Billy Poulton - Sea Lake Nandaly

20 - (0) - Callum Goode - Birchip Watchem

18 - (3) - Gerald Riley - Wedderburn

17 - (4) - Patrick O’Rourke - Boort

17 - (1) - Ben Brennan - Wycheproof N league this season. Now it’s time for the midfield to step up against Nullawil.

The Maroons have a fleet-footed team that quickly breaks loose from turnovers and an accuracy in front of goal that has not been a benchmark for the Pies so far this season. That could prove the difference.

Saturday’s results will give coaches Barnes and Cameron the pespective their need to plot the season’s second half.

This Saturday

LODDON HERALD TIPS

St Arnaud v Birchip Watchem

Nullawil v Boort

Sea Lake Nandaly v Wedderburn Charlton v Donald

Wycheproof Narraport bye

Reserves

GOALS - Wedderburn: G. Riley 3, C. Lang. Nullawil: S. Goldsmith 9, N. Grigg 6, M. Poyner 4, L. Cooper 2, T. Perry, G. Forrester, J. Morrison, A. Hogan.

BEST - Wedderburn: C. Lang, M. Lockhart, L. Last, R. Hunt, D. Caruana, P. Caruana. Nullawil Reserves: S. Goldsmith, L. Braine, T. Fawcett, M. Poyner, N. Grigg, G. Forrester.

GOALS - Boort: E. Coleman 6, P. O’Rourke 4, M. Hodoras, N. Gooding, C. Ross, K. Streader 2, F. Holland, E. Lanyon, J. Mulquiny, S. Barraclough. St Arnaud: Not supplied.

BEST - Boort: E. Coleman, T. Rhook, M. Hodoras, F. Holland, E. Lanyon, K. Streader. St Arnaud: O. Lowe, H. McNally, K. Torney, R. Bigmore, H. Meagher, J. Hilton.

(18)

GOALS - Wycheproof Narraport: C. Duffy, H. Fawcett, D. Turner 2, J. McHutchison, B. Brennan. Charlton: N. Holmes-Brown, L. Holmes-Brown.

BEST - Wycheproof Narraport: R. Jones, J. McHutchison, T. Trewin, D. Turner, K. Henshaw.

Charlton: L. Whykes, N. Holmes-Brown, A. Johnstone, F. Bourke, D. Whykes, J. Teakle.

(15) Sea Lake N

(90)

GOALS- Donald: A. Schofield, J. Adams. Sea Lake

Nandaly: B. Poulton 3, J. Clohesy 3, R. McGarry, C. Noonan 2, L. McClelland, D. Bailey, Z. Wemyss.

BEST - Donald: H. Forrest, K. Green, N. Berry, J. Adams, G. Beckham, G. Morgan. Sea Lake Nandaly: M. Cahoon, C. Noonan, J. Clohesy, A. Collins, C. Roberts, W. Conlan.