Trafalgar win Balfour trophy

In the battle at the bottom Trafalgar took over the Balfour Trophy with a hard fought but entertaining match against Hill End, winning 11-11 (77) to 10-9 (69).

It was the Bloods first win for the season but they moved one step up the ladder, their eight-point win dooming Hill End to the bottom of the table without a win.

Hill End made many changes with five players coming back and it looked like paying off as the Hillmen fought back from a twopoint deficit at quarter time to be ahead at half time by five points

The tricky wind conditions made good football hard to play with the boundary umpires having plenty of work to do on the western side.

Scoring was slow in the third with Trafalgar just getting ahead. Matt Robertson got a couple in the third to put his team within a shadow of Hill End but two goals near the siren saw Trafalgar overtake Hill End to take a nine point lead by three-quarter-time.

It was game on in the last with both teams striving for that elusive four points. Isaac Ketchen was proving a headache for the Trafalgar defenders and twice he snuck through for two good goals.

Trafalgar replied and it went down to the wire with the Bloods hanging on to record their first victory for the season.

Hill End’s Isaac Ketchen finished with four goals and Matt Robertson was Trafalgar’s best with three majors.

Panthers go down

Yarragon are yet to beat last year’s effort of four wins, going down to a more determined Yallourn-Yallourn North side 14-11 (95) to 4-3 (27).

The Bombers jumped into third after their 58-point win, the biggest of the round.

Led by leading goalkicker Dean McDonald (four) and Barry Brooks (three), the Bombers were always in command especially after half time.

For the first two quarters it was a competitive match with Yarragon keeping in touch but after half time with one goal to 10 was poor return for the Panthers.

Yallourn-Yallourn North’s last quarter of 7-2 broke down Yarragon as the Bombers cruised to a win.

Interleague representatives Tyler Brown and Todd Dobson were excellent for the Bombers.

Bulldogs better

With both teams having 20 effective shots at goal it was Newborough who finished ahead over Thorpdale, 11-9 (75) to 7-13 (55).

The Dogs were more accurate to finish 20 point winners but the result could have been different had Thorpdale steadied in front of goal.

It was a 5-3 first quarter that set the Bulldogs on their path to the top position on the ladder. A loud cheer went up when news filtered through that Morwell East beat Mirboo North to give the Doggies top spot.

Thorpdale couldn’t master the wind and many direct shots went astray.

Their last quarter effort of 2-7 to 1-0 could have made a big difference at the final result but it was not to be as Newborough with eight players scoring goals to take the points.

Demons surprise

Even though Yinnar had a sound win over Boolarra 13-5 (83) to 11-8 (74), they still couldn’t get back into the four.

The Magpies were surprised by Boolarra’s tenacity in the first term where the Demons racked up their best first term this season with 5-3, but unfortunately for Boolarra the Magpies also were on target and booted 4-1 for a nine goal opening term.

Boolarra fell into a hole in the second term and could only score four minors while Yinnar doubled their score.

It was one of Boolarra’s better games this season with some positive aspects coming out and Yinnar had to work hard to eventually run out winners.

Boolarra’s Troy Tobin was best goal kicker on the day with four while eight players shared Yinnar’s goals.