Young EDFL team passes test
The Ellinbank District Football League made a successful return to AFL Victoria Community Championship football, comfortably accounting for Horsham District Football League at Ballarat’s City oval 14-7 (91) to 4-7 (31).
While the EDFL fielded a young side due to player injury and unavailability, their opposition also entered the match with some challenges due to injury and unavailability.
Many of Jeparit-Rainbow’s better players come from the Adelaide Hills and didn’t make the trip to Ballarat, while Horsham District’s leading goal kickers were also unavailable.
With many EDFL supporters wondering just how well its young side would fare Horsham District’s Michael Phelan kicked forward to Damon Folkes, who positioning himself in front to mark and convert.
It appeared the EDFL would have a challenge on his hands, but the response was emphatic.
Matt Gray juggled a mark at full forward to level the scores to be gin a run of six straight goals to see the EDFL take a handy lead into quarter time.
Coach Daniel Fry, who was a late call up into the side following a late withdrawal on Friday night, booted two goals while tall Iian Osman also converted as the EDFL began to take control.
Pacy midfielder Thomas Wyatt converted from a free kick, the first of his four goals on the way to winning the medal for best on ground.
Having established a 31-point buffer at the first change, the EDFL continued to assert their dominance with Gray winning a free kick for a block and kicking truly.
Jack Hazendonk kicked a long goal as the margin extended beyond eight goals.
Angus Martin positioned well to protect the drop and mark for Horsham District to kick his sides’ second on the shadows of half time.
Russell Lehman and Wyatt handled to set up Kane Oldham for a mark at full stretch as the EDFL resumed control in the third term, but unfortunately his shot missed.
Horsham District kicked the first goal of the second half from a snap over the shoulder, but the EDFL hit back with the next four goals to kill the contest at three-quarter-time.
A 50-metre penalty for entering the protected zone gifted the EDFL their 10th goal, with the next three majors coming in a flurry.
The EDFL went long to find Chris Robinson in the pocket, before another long kick from Dale Johnson found Wyatt in space.
Conditions became icy cold and dark in the final term, with some EDFL supporters thinking of going to tell timekeeper Keith Forte to ring the bell early as the match petered out, both sides registering one major in the final quarter.
Medal winner Wyatt and Hazendonk were electric through the midfield, while Lehman, Danny Wells, Tim Hancock and Nick Visser also set up attacking opportunities.