THE Limestone Coast Women’s Football League was thrown open on the weekend when Millicent handed Kybybolite its first loss of the season at Kalangadoo oval.
The northern Tigers had been unrelenting this year, but a couple of close games suggested there were chinks in the armour.
The Saints found those chinks in the Round 5 clash and pulled off a four-point victory to remain in second place on the ladder.
East Gambier kicked the biggest score the competition has seen, with a host of players stepping up to pepper the goals, with 13.8 (86) the result, all while keeping West Gambier scoreless.
South Gambier managed an eight-point win over the Glencoe All Stars, while Kalangadoo was another big winner with a score of 7.5 (47) to North Gambier’s zero.
Millicent 2.4 (16) d Kybybolite 1.6 (12)
KYBYBOLITE has been the talking point of the 2018 season, joining the league this year and taking on all challengers to emerge as an early premiership favourite.
After a first-round score that would have been the envy of any side, Millicent appeared to slow up, dropping a game to South Gambier in Round 4 to slip from top to second place.
All was set for an epic clash and it did not disappoint, with the game going down to the wire.
As has been the case in recent rounds, the final result was largely due to accuracy in front of goals.
Kybybolite had seven shots, but was only able to convert one to full points.
In contrast, Millicent’s six shots yielded two major scores, which made the difference.
While Kristie Rowe and Olivia Fuller have been focal points around the goals for the Saints, this time it was Grace Carnellor adding one more goal to her season tally, along with Lucy Barber.
For Kybybolite, Sophie Ford was the sole goal kicker.
Best for the victors were Madi Turner, Rowe, Shelby Serle, Madison Thwaites, Kimi Varcoe and Sarah Fabris.
For Kybybolite, Casey McElroy, Sally Logan, Sarah Ottoson-Crossling, Annabel Mould, Kirsty Dickenson and Lucy Kramm were given the nod.
The result simply showed the northern Tigers can be beaten, but they still hold down top position on the ladder and face Glencoe and North Gambier in the final two minor rounds, sides they should be able to account for.
However, the All Stars have certainly shown some spark this season and a loss to them will put Kybybolite in a perilous position, with the top three sides all on eight points.
In fact, this week’s games are all in the balance, meaning Kybybolite needs to be on top of its game if it is to continue to dominate the competition and make the grand final in its first year.
The Saints face bottom-placed West, where a percentage-boosting win could tip the scales in their favour.
East Gambier 13.8 (86) d West Gambier 0.0 (0)
IT was a walk in the park for the Bulldogs as they decimated the Roos.
From the first bounce East was relenting, with 13 points by the first break and building from there.
The Bulldogs added a further five major scores in the second term, four more in the third and two in the final stanza.
There was simply nothing the Roos could do to stop the rampaging Bulldogs.
An impressive eight separate goal kickers ensured a big score, with the percentage-boosting win just the thing East needed at this time of the season.
Sharryn Dawes and Hannah Willson topped the list with three goals each, their first majors for the season, while Sara Smith added two of her own.
Singles came from Neave Delaney, Mahli Pannenberg, Madeline Fry, Bo Creek and Nicola Collins.
Best for the victors were Creek, Willson, Collins, Smith, Kiara Beck and Tyne Bosko.
Best for the Roos were Lesley Macdonald, Skye Millard, Emma Lynch, Courtney Tait, Natasha Secombe and Cody Millard.
A grand final berth is fast becoming a distant hope for the Bulldogs, but this result did their chances no harm.
They can not afford another loss, with Kalangadoo this week, then Millicent in the final minor round.
If they can win this week, depending on other results, they may well hold their destiny in their own hands against the Saints.
Just positions one and two go through to the grand final, so there is no room for error from now on.
South Gambier 3.4 (22) d Glencoe 2.2 (14)
THE reigning premiers managed to sneak home against a determined All Stars, as they chase the chance to defend their 2017 title.
It was certainly no easy task, with scores tied up at the long break.
Just one point separated the two sides after the third quarter, in favour of the eventual victors, with the All Stars held scoreless in the final stanza.
It was a must-win for the Demons, who will look to defend their 2017 crown should all go to plan in the remaining two rounds.
However, there was no room for complacency and South would have certainly had that in mind when approaching the game.
Jasmine White has contributed four goals this season, with two of those on Saturday, while Chelsea Frost chipped in with her first major of the year.
Claire Nolte was the sole goal kicker for the All Stars.
Tess Clark has been a major ball mover for the Demons this year, taking her skills from the round-ball game to the oval with no issues.
She has been a standout on soccer fields in the region and is fast becoming one of the best in the Australian Rules competition.
She was voted best for her club, along with Kaylene Nuske, White, Aimee Beck, Jessica Kennedy and Katie Welden.
The All Stars were best served by Libby Howe-Morgan, Alicia Frankenburg, Sarah Edwards, Nolte and Holly Smith.
Kalangadoo 7.5 (47) d North Gambier 0.0 (0)
IN the final game of the day Kalangadoo simply ran away with the contest, not allowing the Tigers a look in.
North has been struggling this season which was evident on Saturday, with 3.2 (20) kicked against them in the first quarter alone.
To their credit, they held Kalangadoo to just one major score in the second term, but still faced a huge task after the long break.
After the break Kalangadoo banged on another three majors and two minors, but were held to just one behind in the final quarter.
The victors boasted five goal kickers, which included Emmason Ilsley (2), Abbey Shannon (2), Sharnna Devereux, Alyssa Boylan and Brianna Devine.
Best for Kalangadoo were Jemima Burt, Tara Jeffree, Alyssa Boylan, Shannon, Linda Boylan and Wanita Robinson.
Best for North were Ella Firth, Rhiannon Thomas, Alyssa Thomas, Lorelle Walker, Samantha Scott Imogen Phillips.
While neither side will make the grand final, Kalangadoo is a chance to play off for third and fourth, while the Tigers are yet to shake off the looming wooden spoon, with only West below them on the ladder.
