By Glen Atwell
SPRINGVALE Districts are on the verge of breaking into the top four of the Southern Football League Division Two ladder after a thrilling three-point win over Tooronga-Malvern at Springvale Reserve on Saturday.
The Demons led the low-scoring match at every change, but barely a kick separated the two teams all day.
Coach Stephen Hughes said the gutsy win helped erase a number of self-doubts that had crept into the side after the loss to Heatherton in round two.
“We owed it to Rob Burns after we lost his 300th game against Heatherton and the boys had made promises amongst themselves after that lost,” he said. It was Tooronga-Malvern’s first loss this season and confirmed the Springvale Districts are genuine contenders in season 2006.
This Saturday the Demons clash with the unbeaten Kangaroos at Springvale Reserve, and Hughes is confident his side can get across the line.
Pirates look to make dream a reality
IS the impossible possible? Can the Parkmore Pirates remain undefeated and win the Southern Football League Division Three premiership?
On Saturday the Pirates took a giant leap towards turning their rags to riches fairytale into reality with a 42-point win over Skye at Wachter Reserve.
It was all aboard the Danny Casset train for the third week running – the star full-forward kicking six and Kevin McLean booting three for the Pirates during the convincing win.
Casset has so far lived up to expectations that followed him from Casey-Cardinia club Doveton, but it is likely opposition clubs will make it harder for him to continue kicking bags of goals in the second half of the season.
The win places the undefeated Pirates on top of the Division Three ladder. Black Rock, demoted from Division Two at the end of last season, is the only other unbeaten team, but the two sides don’t clash until 27 May.
It would seem the Pirates have a lot more improving to do before the top-of-the-table clash against Black Rock.
Eagles continue fall
MATTERS went from bad to worse for the Doveton Eagles on Saturday, soundly beaten by the Dandenong Demons in Division Three of the Southern Football League.
The Eagles’ 45-point loss at Power Reserve capped off a disastrous start to the season for a side once feared by many opposition teams.
But on Saturday, the Demons were anything but afraid.
Steve Coats kicked nine goals for Dandenong and left the Eagles coaching fraternity scratching their heads.
The Eagles midfield could not supply the forwards with enough of the football, and the strength of the Demons forward line allowed Dandenong to score at will.
Nicholas Peterson was the stand-out goal-kicker for the Eagles, booting four, while coach Paul Davis contributed three. Eagles president Craig Price was best on ground for his club while Robbie Mackwell starred for the Demons.
Their third straight loss has secured the Eagles bottom spot on the Division Three ladder. It won’t get any easier for the Eagles this weekend as they travel to play Cerberus at the HMAS ground.
Pumas find positives
OAKLEIGH Districts remain undefeated in Division Two of the Southern Football League after a come-from-behind 33-point victory against Lyndale Pumas on Saturday.
The Pumas led by 21 points at quarter-time and 11 points at the main break before Oakleigh embarked on a scoring rampage, outscoring the Pumas 11 goals to four after half-time.
A thumb injury to Pumas full-back Matt Schink forced him to leave the ground during the third quarter and allowed Oakleigh forward Luke Reddy to finish the game with five goals.
But despite the negative result, the Pumas can draw on several positives.
“Before the season I would have been happy with our performance on Saturday, but considering we had a five-goal lead during the match, I’m disappointed,” Scott said. He said with up to seven senior players missing, things could only get better.
“We were undermanned, but that’s no excuse,” he said.
There is no hiding the fact the Pumas should thump their Hampton opposition this weekend.
