Noble Park player Tim Hansford booted two crucial goals for the Bulls on Saturday and starred in a best on ground performance.By Glen Atwell
NOBLE Park’s convincing 41-point win against Scoresby at Pat Wright Oval on Saturday has kept the Bulls in touch with the top three on the Eastern Football League ladder.
After losing two of its last three games going into Saturday’s match, the pressure was on Noble Park to perform, and the Bulls impressed the boisterous home crowd.
It was even performance from the Bulls, who registered six multiple goal kickers, led by full-forward Aaron Cole with three majors.
Noble Park led at every change, by one point at quarter-time and 11 points at the main break.
Scoresby refused to be blown away in the third term and both sides continued to attack relentlessly.
But it was the speedy Bulls who eventually drew clear, booting six goals to two in the final quarter to secure the four points and an all-important percentage boost.
Ziggie Alwan and Vic Currie were outstanding for Noble Park, injecting a rhythm of pace and precision across the centre square.
Both players provided the crucial link between half-back and attack and peppered the Bulls’ forward line with lace-out football for four quarters.
Craig Anderson and Tim Hansford, who booted two goals, also impressed for Noble Park.
After eight rounds, the Bulls have won six, but remain one important victory – against one of the top three sides – short of cementing their status as premiership contenders.
The chance to beat a powerhouse beckons this weekend, when the Bulls travel to Balwyn Park to tackle Balwyn.
Balwyn has dropped just one game this season, and is full of confidence after a 36-point thumping of Blackburn on the weekend.
If the Bulls can pull off an unlikely win, mathematically they can jump to top spot on the ladder, but more realistically it would provide Noble Park with the belief it can topple the top sides.
The game kicks into action at 2.10pm.
