Cats climb up ladder

IN CONTROL: Casterton Sandford’s Billy Galpin kicks clear of South Gambier’s Chris Williams during Saturday’s Round 7 clash.

CASTERTON Sandford has climbed up to fourth place on the Western Border football ladder after a hard-fought victory over South Gambier at Island Park on Saturday.

While the final margin was a comfortable 33 points, the Cats were made to work hard for the first three quarters, despite solid leads at each break.

For coach Hamish Jarrad it was a welcome result on the back of the last-round win against Millicent.

“We turned the corner against Millicent, then with the bye it would have been easy to drop off, but we brought the same level of intensity and pressure again which was a big step forward for our group,” he said.

“It is massive for the group to win two in a row.”

On an almost perfect day for football, with little breeze to speak of, the Cats were out of the blocks fast, pushing forward and holding the ball in their attacking zone.

The Demons struggled to clear, but after a minor score to the hosts, headed straight up the middle.

However, the likes of Michael Cummings, Dan Wombwell, Josh Stephenson and Tynan Shannon set up an impenetrable line, forcing the ball back forward.

With 12 minutes gone there was still no major major score, suggesting a tight contest, but the Cats were soon on the board and from there the flood gates seemed to open a touch.

When the Cats ran the ball from the backline, across the ground then up forward for their second major of the day, the Demons were looking second-string.

South’s backline was under siege and despite the hard work of Scott Fleming and Carl Slape around the ground, the forwards were not able to capitalise on opportunities.

When Dylan Ayton marked and goaled after the first-quarter siren, the Cats were 19 points up and looking dangerous.

However, a turn of fortune early in the second saw the Demons bang on a couple of goals to remain in touch, closing the margin to 14 points.

The likes of Brett O’Neil and Brad Bryant struggled to find meaningful possession, with turnovers providing more opportunities for the Cats to push forward.

Fleming’s big hands grabbed a strong mark on the last line of defence and pushed back down the ground, before a mark to Brayden Kain on a tight angle saw another chance for the visitors to remain in the contest.

A chip to Ash Bryant saw the latter run into an open goal and the lead was just nine points.

Stephenson was becoming a major factor in the game, intercepting passes in the back line and popping up forward for shots on goal.

When Billy Galpin marked and played on from deep in defence, a late tackle saw a down-field decision and another shot on goal.

However, it was a reprieve for the Demons with just a behind added to the Cats’ total.

By the half-time break a more-balanced quarter saw the hosts’ lead by 25 points.

But the Cats picked up where they left off in the second half, with Jarrad bending a kick from the boundary through the middle.

The Demons fought back to within 19 points before a free to Ayton saw another major.

From there the hosts controlled the contest and by the 20-minute mark South had made no inroads into the lead.

With a 27-point three-quarter-time advantage the Cats were in the box seat to claim the honours and ran the game out well, scoring three majors to two in the final stanza for a solid win.

Jarrad said he was pleased with the defensive effort from his side.

“I thought in the first quarter it was defensively the best we have held it together all year,” he said.

“Our focus going into the game was contested footy, tackle pressure and our structures.

“It is always good as a coach when your pre-game message works in the first quarter.

“Then it was a case of reinforcing that.

“With our group we tend to not put sides away and let them stay in the contest, so it was a big focus to know they were going to come at us and we had to be ready for it.”

While the win and fourth position on the ladder was important for the Cats’ season, Jarrad said he was under no illusion about the competition ahead, with the next two weeks providing a real test.

“To back up from the Millicent win against South was good,” he said.

“The confidence of winning should hopefully become infectious.

“It is exciting where we are at, but we have East and North the next two weeks, so we will find out where we are at.”