Demons feel heat

By Paul Pickering
IF it’s possible to have a respectable 67-point loss, Springvale Districts may have accomplished it in Division One of the Southern Football League on Saturday.
The Demons may have scored just one goal in the second half of their encounter with ladder leader St Paul’s East Bentleigh, but there was some reason for optimism.
When the sides met in round three, the Bulldogs mauled the Demons by 149 points at Newcomen Road as spearhead Luke James booted 12 goals.
So, to be within 22 points at half-time on Saturday was an achievement in itself.
And while James snared seven this time around, the Demons were far from disgraced against a team that is widely tipped to face St Kilda City on grand final day.
Daniel McKee and Mark Williams kicked two apiece for the visitors, while ruckman Dean Kovacic, defender John McMurray and on-baller Nigel Scott continued their impressive recent form.
Ultimately, the Demons could only withstand the Bulldog onslaught for so long, and a five-goal-to-one final quarter was the result.
In Division Two, Lyndale lowered its colours to second-placed Heatherton away from home.
The Pumas could manage only three goals in the clash, as Heatherton turned a 35-point half-time lead into a convincing 87-point final margin.
Among few positives for Lyndale were the contributions of Dale Weston and Michael Hambleton, who recorded their best performances of the season.
Meanwhile, at Souter Oval, unbeaten Dingley thumped Black Rock by 103 points to maintain its stranglehold on the division.
Robert Mullin (five goals) was the most productive of seven multiple goal-kickers for the Dingoes, while Bret Lavars, Luke Bartholomew and Jake Moore found the footy with ease around the ground.
It was a dark afternoon for the local contingent in Division Three, as the Doveton Eagles, Dandenong Demons and Sandown Cobras all suffered defeats. Most importantly, Doveton’s bid to penetrate the finals bracket stalled against third-placed Skye at Power Reserve.
The Eagles registered seven goals straight in the first term to establish a 10-point lead, but it was all the Bombers from thereon in.
Despite nine goals from the Ramsdale brothers, Ricky (five) and Darren (four), the Eagles faded to go down by 16 points.
At Greaves Reserve, the Demons lost every quarter on the way to a 113-point drubbing at the hands of a resurgent Mount Waverley, as did Sandown in their demoralising 187-point loss to Canterbury.