Dogs regain feet

UP FOR GRABS: Millicent’s James Weir and East Gambier’s Mark Rumbelow contest to the football during the Bulldogs solid victory in Round 9 of Western Border football on Saturday. Picture: FRANK MONGER

IT was a tough day at the office for Millicent when it faced top-of-the-table East Gambier for Round 9 of Western Border football on Saturday.

At McDonald Park the Bulldogs were relentless, working their way into the game early, setting up a strong half-time lead, then running the game out to take a dominant 54-point victory.

Much of that came from a solid effort through the centre from the likes of co-coach Matt Willson and Kevin Thomson, some tough defence from Jayden Eldridge and Patrick Hatch, along with a spread of goal kickers to ensure top spot was retained.

Despite a strong wind blowing to the slight favour the Saints in the opening term, the home side controlled the play early.

Several shots on goal recorded just minor scores for the Bulldogs, but the signs were there of a big game.

For Millicent, Steve Duldig and Dylan Tinknell were under siege in the backline but held strong.

The first major of the game went to the Bulldogs, after Mark Rumbelow was awarded a 50-metre penalty following high contact in a marking duel.

From there he goaled and put the home side on track.

Millicent found plenty of ball in the attacking zone through the likes of Tom Hutchesson and Lyndon Smith, but shots were off line.

When Thomson marked on the 50-metre arc for East and the subsequent 50-metre penalty took him into the teeth of the goals, the Bulldogs’ second major provided a solid lead heading to the first break.

An early goal in the second term to Matt Dempsey was followed by a running shot by Matt McCallum and suddenly the Bulldogs looked every bit a top side.

Another quick goal to the home side saw the Saints with their backs to the wall.

The carnage continued with a couple of quick majors and the Bulldogs were out to a handy lead.

Hutchesson finally broke the drought for Millicent with a classy set shot from the boundary and when Smith took a courageous grab running back with the flight of the ball and goaled, the Saints fortunes turned around momentarily.

With Millicent renowned for fighting its way back into the contest late in the game, the 39-point margin at the break was not enough for the Bulldogs to relax.

The pressure started to increase in the third term, when Shem Balshaw was caught hot with the ball by Brady Gibbs, then Dylan Bromley marked in the attacking 50 for a goal.

Peter Duncan added to the Saints’ hopes soon after, but Rumbelow managed a major against the flow to stem the tide.

However, the undisciplined play then affected the Bulldogs, with Callan Hobbs awarded a 50-metre penalty from the centre for an easy major.

Hutchesson then drilled a pass into Mitch Reilly, but the set shot was off line, providing some breathing space for the Bulldogs.

The penalties continued, with the umpires intent on keeping control, but by the final break the Saints still had plenty of work to do.

From there it was all-but one-way traffic, with East running the game out well to record four majors and six minors in the final stanza.

Millicent was held goal-less, with just two minor scores to finish the game.

In the end it was a well-deserved win by the Bulldogs, with Willson pleased with the overall effort.

“We were happy to get back to some early-season form with the way we played the footy,” he said.

“It was really pleasing to get the win and we were pretty excited for the boys to finish off the last three-week block well.”

While the victory was set up in the first half of the contest, Willson said his players were well aware Millicent would come back hard in the second half.

“We probably haven’t strung together four quarters of footy yet and we always knew Millicent would come back strong,” he said.

“Clint (Gallio) has them drilled pretty well and they have a never-say-die attitude.

“For us it was about trying to hold strong and keep the game on our terms as much as we could.”

After a loss and a draw in the previous two rounds, Willson said the focus was on returning to a solid team effort, which he said was pleasing.

“The last couple of weeks has been somewhat disappointing,” he said.

“To finish on a high coming into the back half of the season was important.

“Week in, week out Millicent are super competitive.

“We knew they would come so we had to show up as well.”

Willson said he was pleased with where his team sits with the break this weekend for the South Australian Country Championships, allowing extra time for injury concerns to settle before facing South Gambier in Round 10.