By Lachlan Onions
MILLICENT 10.13 (73) d CASTERTON SANDFORD 2.6 (18)
MILLICENT made it nine straight wins to start the 2023 Western Border Football season with an emphatic victory over Casterton Sandford under lights at McLaughlin Park.
The twilight game was an arm wrestle early on as the Saints had to fight to take the ascendancy.
After a low-scoring opening term, Millicent went into the break with a 14-3 lead.
However, the change of ends proved pivotal for the hosts as they soon hit their straps and took full control of the contest.
The Saints booted five goals in the quarter and held the Cats to just one major as they went into half time with a solid 37-point buffer.
However, Casterton Sandford refused to go down easy as the visitors were a match for the Saints in the third term.
The Cats scored 1.2 (8) to Millicent’s 1.3 (9) in another low-scoring quarter.
However, the reigning premiers were too good for Casterton Sandford as they held the away side to just one minor score in the final quarter.
Meanwhile, the Saints kicked 2.6 (18) in the fourth term to seal an impressive 55-point win.
Hamish McRae was best on ground for Millicent after a strong performance, while Harry Tunkin, Jack Verbena, Jacob Carger, Sam Waring and Finn Grimes all put in solid contributions.
Carger, Frazer Bradley and Mitchell Reilly led the way in the forward line with two goals each.
While Jaxon Cushion, Kobe Gibson, Eli Redman and Kade Varcoe all kicked one major.
For the Cats, Michael Krieger was best on ground with Dylan Ayton and Alastair McCrae the only two goalkickers.
Looking at the ladder, the Saints remain one game clear of West gambier at the top, while Casterton still holds a 12-point gap to South Gambier in fifth.
