By Trevor Jackson
SOUTH GAMBIER 19.8 (122) d NORTH GAMBIER 4.4 (28)
SOUTH Gambier handed North Gambier a stinging defeat in Sunday’s Bendigo Bank Western Border Football League ANZAC Day clash at Blue Lake Sports Park.
The Demons were simply too strong throughout the game on the back of a powerful forward pack which the Tigers were unable to contain.
In stark contrast, at the other end of the ground North’s spearheads in Sam Stafford and coach Justin McConnell could not get their hands on the ball often enough to cause any real damage on the scoreboard, with just four major scores for the day overall.
Demon Kym Eagleson had a day out, with a handy six-goal haul, while coach Brayden Kain and Brodie Foster chipped in with two each.
Eagleson found space up forward to work in, while Jake Tentye showed plenty of strength as he pushed clear of his opponents.
A 26-point opening term gave South a 17-point lead at the first break, which continued to extend throughout the match.
By the long break the margin had crept out to 41 points and the Demons were only getting started.
Three more majors in the third term to North’s one ensured a comfortable 56-point lead at the final change and there was no coming back for the Tigers.
But far from rest on their laurels, the Demons banged on another seven goals in the final term to run out emphatic 94-point victors.
Jack Casey was named best for the victors and claimed the Tony Casadio Medal for best on ground.
He was joined in the best players by Eagleson, Scott Enderl, Patrick Glynn and Tentye.
Nick McInerney worked hard for the Tigers and was rewarded with best player, along with Brad Stafford, Jordan Hollitt, Sam Stafford, Jake Schutz and Hamish Telford.
South remain undefeated at the top of the ladder.
MILLICENT 11.9 (95) d WEST GAMBIER 8.4 (75)
Millicent put its hand up as a contender this season after a reasonably comfortable win over West Gambier at Malseed Park.
Much of that came on the back of a 10-goal haul from Gene Robinson.
In just three games Robinson has amassed 21 goals to lead the league list, with nine last week to complement his 10 this round.
He is certainly a strong target up forward, who will need to be tightly checked each week.
The only other Saints’ goal kicker was Tom Renzi, but it was all they needed to clinch the win after a strong three quarters of football.
Millicent kicked four straight goals in the opening term, while holding the Roos to just three behinds to set the scene.
They only managed one major score in the second term while the Roos put on three, but it was the third quarter where the damage was done.
Millicent put on another five majors, while West could only muster a handful of behinds to trail by 38 at the final break.
The home side turned the game around in the final stanza, kicking five major scores to close the margin, but it was too little, too late as the Saints ran out emphatic victors.
Robinson was rightly named best for Millicent, along with Frazer Bradley, Sam Gray, Billy Shanks, coach Clint Gallio and Noah Lang.
West named just three players in the best, with Tom Holmes, Jordan Coombe and Ethan Giddings all getting the nod.
EAST GAMBIER 18.14 (122) d CASTERTON SANDFORD 8.3 (51)
East Gambier remains unbeaten this season thanks to a big victory over the struggling Casterton Sandford.
The Cats were never in the game, with the Bulldogs relentless down to the final siren.
A long list of 10 goal kickers shared the spoils for East, with Jake Harrap and Todd Lockwood topping the list with three each.
Jesse Plunkett, Riley Flamank, Mark Rumbelow and Brad Rathjen all contributed two each.
The Bulldogs skipped out to a 17-point lead at the first break and extended that to 49 by half time.
The Cats turned the tables somewhat in the third term, with four major scores to East’s three, but a stinging final quarter where the Bulldogs banged on six majors kept the Victorians at bay.
Harrap, Jesse Fry, Jayden Eldridge, Plunkett, Giancarlo Cooper and Shem Balshaw were named best for the victors.
For Casterton Sandford, Dylan Ayton, Jackson Gibbs, Matt Killey, Diarmid Cleary, Sam Broomby and James Boulton were named best.
