Pumas now on top
Moyston-willaura posted the most notable win of Mininera and District Football League last week when it won the much-wanted scalp of Lismore-derrinallum, the only team to do so this season.
The win means the Pumas have taken top spot by percentage over the Demons coming to the business end of the season.
A Wickliffe-lake Bolac loss to Hawkesdale-macarthur saw Wickliffe-lake Bolac drop to fifth position, where it hangs on only by percentage.
Hawkesdale-macarthur’s win, as well as victories to Glenthompsondunkeld over Caramut and SMW Rovers over Woorndoo-mortlake, kept these three teams in the finals hunt with only three home-andaway games left in the season.
Moyston-willaura led its match on Saturday from the first bounce and never looked like dropping off. It will look to continue its form against Wickliffe-lake Bolac.
The anticipated return of Pumas ruckman Josh Bywater has not disappointed, with him getting best on ground in just his second game back.
Jeremy Cronin and Matty Peel also did their fair share of the heavy lifting.
The Pumas were able to share the goal-scoring around with 10 goal scorers, six of whom kicked two apiece.
Wickliffe-lake Bolac will put everything into Saturday to show it is still a finals contender. The Magpies came out strongly in the first quarter against Hawkesdalemacarthur, going into quarter time nine points up.
However, it was short-lived as the Magpies could only manage one goal a quarter for the remainder of the game.
Tristan May, Chris Thornton and Bailey Veale again proved their worth as best players for the Magpies.
Coming off last week’s loss, Lismore-derrinallum will host Penshurst. With Penshurst’s good form coming off a 20-goal win over Ararat Eagles along with Lismorederrinallum’s recent slump, the Bombers will go into Saturday’s game with confidence.
The Demons over the past four weeks have struggled to get a good start, with less than a goal the difference at half time in each game. They have been able to run away in the second half, but a slow start on Saturday gave them a deficit they could not retract despite the efforts of Ryan Elliot, seven goals, Gary Knights and Jayden Molloy.
The Demons will be keen to regain their league dominance before the end of the season.
Hawkesdale-macarthur travels to Mininera to take on SMW Rovers. Both teams are desperate for a win if they want any shot of making the final five.
It was a good game last time they met, at least for three quarters, with the margin only one point at threequarter time. However a 12-goalto-one final term saw the Eagles pull away with an 11-goal win.
Both teams had good wins last week and the main focus for the Bulldogs will be to stop the goalkicking power of Patrick Sinnott and Charles Nield who kicked four each last week, along with the everclassy Brady Purcell proving he is still one to watch in the league.
Midfielders Tom Thewlis, Blake Luehman and Lachlann Pickering have played major roles in the Bulldogs’ race and fans will look to them to again get them over the line.
In other games, Ararat Eagles host Great Western, Glenthompsondunkeld plays Tatyoon and Woorndoo-mortlake will look for a win it plays at home against Caramut.