By Paul Pickering
DOVETON and Dandy – one undefeated and the other winless – experienced a change in fortune in Division Three of the Southern Football League on Saturday.
The improved Eagles were beaten but not disgraced by divisional heavyweight Mount Waverley at Power Road, while the struggling Demons leapt from the canvas with a 43-point demolition of Cerberus at Greaves Reserve.
For the Eagles, who had surprised many in winning their first three games, it was a chance to test their mettle against the premiership favourite.
But after leading by 13 points at quarter time, Doveton surrendered any chance of an upset victory in conceding nine goals to one in the second and third quarters.
Trailing by 35 points at the last break, the Eagles finished with a five-goal flutter to take some heart out of the match.
In the battle of the spearheads, Doveton’s Ricky Ramsdale booted seven goals but was marginally out-pointed by the all-round influence of gun Mountain Lion Cameron Kirkup (six).
Other Eagles to impress included Steve Ognjenovic, Troy Humphries and former-Dandy Demons ruckman Hugh Moller – who shaded one of the division’s premier big men in Jarrod Wilkin.
After struggling to secure a regular spot in the seniors at Dandy last year, Moller seems to have found his feet at Power Road.
While Eagles coach Barry Giddens conceded that his charges were well beaten in the clinches, he was keen to view the match as a learning experience.
“We’re disappointed, but at the same time three goals isn’t life-shattering,” Giddens said.
“We’ve got to play them three times this year, so I suppose we have the luxury of trying to reverse the decision.
“I don’t think we’re that far away (from Mount Waverley) at all.”
The next challenge for the Eagles will be trying to overcome a dangerous Skye unit that accounted for Canterbury on Saturday.
No doubt Giddens will be calling on the expertise of veteran recruit Mark Mussared this week, given that ‘Muzza’ coached the Bombers last year.
Meanwhile, things are looking much brighter for first-year Dandy coach Steve Kent after his Demons broke through for a win on Saturday.
The Demons led from wire-to-wire to dispatch of the enigmatic Cerberus Navy boys by seven goals.
Pat Henderson (five) provided Dandy with a focal point up forward, while Brad Charman, Vaughan Geddes and Jayde Handfield all played their best games of the season to date.
Elsewhere, the Sandown Cobras suffered a 64-point loss at the hands of second-placed South Yarra.
Playing-coach ‘Chuck’ Yaman again led the Cobras with five goals, but the Lions set-up an 11-goal advantage at the final break and cruised home.
In Division One action, Springvale Districts is still searching for its first victory of 2008 after losing by 56 points at Tooronga Malvern on Saturday.
The Demons registered a wayward 6.17 for the afternoon and continue to struggle up forward.
Co-captain Waata Wells was Springy’s best, while Nigel Scott and Brad Scott both acquitted themselves well.
In Division Two, Dingley extended its winning streak to four in crushing Hampton by 158 points at Souter Oval – Adam Quinn booting nine goals and Clinton Brookes five in a best-on-ground performance.
Meanwhile, at Barry Powell Reserve, Lyndale’s winless run continued with a five-goal loss to the Moorabbin Kangaroos.
The Pumas failed to recover from a 31-point quarter-time deficit, never threatening despite an improved showing in the second half.
Round five match-ups: Division One: Highett at Springvale Districts. Division Two: Lyndale at Ashwood, Dingley at Moorabbin Kangaroos. Division Three: Doveton Eagles at Skye, Dandy Demons at Mount Waverley, Canterbury at Sandown Cobras.
