WOMEN’S football has again taken the region by storm, with the first Limestone Coast Women’s Football League games of 2019 played at Vansittart Park on Sunday.
There were some big wins on the day, in what was actually the round two fixture, after the opening round was rescheduled for March 31 due to extreme heat.
All but one match saw a large margin, with the top teams of the now 11-side competition showing their colours early.
The closest game on the day saw Kalangadoo claim a 15-point victory over Glencoe to kick off the season.
At the other end of the round, Millicent closed the day’s proceedings with a massive 71-point drubbing against North Gambier.
KALANGADOO 3.7 (25) d GLENCOE 1.4 (10)
THE first official women’s football game of the year saw Kalangadoo claim a 15-point win over Glencoe.
It did not take long for the Magpies to claim the lead in the low-scoring match, with a goal and two behinds in the first term unanswered by their opponent.
Glencoe hit the scoreboard in the second term with its only goal for the game, as Sarah Edwards found the big sticks to narrow the margin.
An inaccurate quarter saw Kalangadoo score six behinds, to see the half-time margin a single straight kick.
Another low-scoring term followed, with the Magpies kicking their second goal, while Glencoe added a minor score to its total.
Heading into the final stanza it was an 11-point game.
Despite three scoring opportunities for Glencoe to Kalangadoo’s two, all three resulted in behinds, while the Magpies found the big sticks for a third time, as well as a minor score.
For the victors Eva Bonde was named best-on-ground, while Tara Jeffree, Bianca Thorn and Holly Watson scored the goals.
MUNDULLA 9.6 (60) d EAST GAMBIER 4.4 (28)
THE second match of the day saw two teams expected to go well this season lock horns, as Mundulla made its debut against East Gambier.
Rumours from the Mundulla camp pre-season suggested it would be hard to beat and on Sunday it proved those whispers to be correct.
The Bulldogs trailed at every break and eventually suffered a 32-point defeat.
Mundulla scored 3.2 in the first quarter to set up its lead, while East found the big sticks once, along with two behinds to see a 12-point margin at the first change.
It was in the second quarter Mundulla made its first break, adding three majors and a behind to its score, while the Bulldogs managed just a minor score.
A 30-point margin at half time was going to be difficult to recover from, but to its credit East chipped back to within 20 points by three quarter time.
However, a scoreless fourth term for the Bulldogs saw Mundulla run away with the match, scoring its eighth and ninth majors to finish 32-point victors.
Brooke Ballinger was best-on-ground for the winners and she also scored a goal, while the leading scorers were Emily Moxon, Jayde Barton and Jenna Kennett, who all found the big sticks twice.
Natalie Twigden and Tracey Poulton rounded out the goal-kickers for Mundulla, while for East Neave Delaney led the way with three majors and Sara Smith scored one.
Ella Simmonds was the Bulldogs’ best player on the day.
PENOLA 9.5 (59) d WEST GAMBIER/PORT MACDONNELL 2.1 (13)
IT was a successful debut for Penola’s women’s football team, when it claimed a solid victory over West Gambier/Port MacDonnell in Sunday’s third match.
Despite just a one-point difference at the first change, the Eagles soared to an eventual 46-point triumph.
A scoreless second term for the West/Port side saw Penola edge out to a 15-point lead, with two majors and two minors added before half time.
West/Port was able to hit the board again in the third term, but managed just one of each to take its total to 13, while the Eagles had an accurate quarter to find the big sticks on four occasions.
Another two goals and two behinds in the fourth saw Penola at its total of 59, while its opposition failed to add to its score before the siren.
Angela Broad was in dominant form and bagged five of the Eagles’ nine goals, while she was also recognised as best-on-ground for her efforts.
Kerry Dent also hit the board with two majors, while Karmel Finch and Shandeen Balshaw kicked a goal each.
For West/Port Megan Hein was the best player, while it was Cody Millard and Ebony Lawson who kicked the goals.
SOUTH GAMBIER 12.9 (81) d CASTERTON SANDFORD 2.1 (13)
ANOTHER big win was had when South Gambier faced debutantes Casterton Sandford, with the Demons cruising to an eventual 68-point win.
The Cats posted just a minor score for the first half of the game, while South went into the third term with 48 points under its belt.
South’s Kendell Saffin was in fine form in front of goal, as was Jasmine White, with the two scoring a solid four majors each.
The Cats managed to finally find the big sticks in the third term, with two goals, but that was the last time they scored for the match.
A scoreless final stanza allowed the Demons to score another three majors and two behinds, to finish up with 12.9 for the match.
Aside from Saffin and White power couple, Katelyn Lapatha and Chelsea Frost also hit the scoreboard with a goal each.
MILLICENT 10.12 (72) d NORTH GAMBIER 0.1 (1)
SUNDAY’S final match saw Millicent crush North Gambier in what could only be described as a proper thrashing.
The Tigers posted just one minor score for the game, while the Saints were relentless in their attack, finishing up with a 72-point total at the final siren.
By half time the margin was at 55 points, with North yet to hit the board.
It was not until the final quarter the Tigers found an opportunity to score, but it resulted in a behind.
Meanwhile the Saints found the big sticks on 10 occasions, while 12 shots went through for minor scores.
Had they been more accurate, the result could have been even more devastating.
No further Millicent details were available at the time of print.
