Lowly Demons out of touch

By Paul Pickering
SPRINGVALE Districts proved that it’s still a long way off the pace in Division One when it surrendered to Cheltenham on Saturday.
The Demons defied the perfect conditions to register just four goals for the match – including one in the first half – in a lamentable 44-point loss at Newcomen Road.
Cheltenham forward Dominic Dunne booted six of his team’s 11 goals, but still couldn’t sneak into the Rosellas’ best – such was the dominance of the visitors around the ground.
Despite a meagre return of 1.6 to halftime, the Demons were just 26 points adrift and near enough to mount some sort of challenge.
But the sustained efforts of Pat Ryan and in-form trio John McMurray, Nigel Scott and Matt Sheahan were not enough to spark a rally.
Gavin Vassallo (one goal) has been the most likely avenue to goal this season, but his supply was cut by a hungrier Cheltenham midfield unit.
The defeat saw Springvale Districts drop to 1-2 for the year.
Over at Dingley’s Souter Oval, the hometown Dingoes returned to the winners’ list in fine style with a 96-point drubbing of Clayton.
The Clays have been ravaged by off-season departures and are unlikely to trouble many sides, but Dingley was at its merciless best in extending the margin at every break.
Dingoes big men Stephen Pitt (three), Chris Morgan and Andrew Frost (four) were all prominent, while ball-winners Daniel Turcarelli and Bret Lavars cut the visitors up through the middle.
Dingley improved to 2-1 ahead of Saturday’s clash with reigning premier St Paul’s East Bentleigh.
In Division Two, Lyndale is still to record its first victory after going down to Highett by 115 points on Saturday.
The Pumas slumped to a four-goal deficit at quarter time and never recovered, kicking a single goal in each term as the Bulldogs ran away with the game.
Chris Egan, Jeff Dudi and Darren Fellows were among Lyndale’s better contributors, but the Doggies had too many options up forward, with seven multiple goal-kickers for the afternoon.
Division Three battler Dandenong did exactly that against a mighty Mount Waverley on Saturday, losing by 142 points on the back of a 14-goal-to-one first half.
Redlegs ruck/forward Darin Joyce booted three in his first outing for the year and boom recruit Chris Hatfield continued his stunning start to the season, but the Mountain Lions had far too much firepower.
Elsewhere, Sandown played three impressive quarters against Hampton, but it wasn’t enough to pull off an upset.
The Cobras conceded six goals in the second quarter and managed just one of their own, and that accounted for much of the 46-point margin at the final siren.
Greg Kerr booted three for the visiting Cobras, while Shane Cosstick (two goals) was his side’s best contributor around the ground.
At Power Reserve, Doveton Eagles spearhead Ricky Ramsdale bagged 11 goals to guide his side to a 133-point thumping of Cerberus.
Ramsdale was unstoppable as the Eagles cruised to their third-straight victory, consolidating their position atop the Division Three table.
He wasn’t alone, with Troy Humphries and Daniel Selman finding the footy, and solid contributions from Gary D’Amelio, Brayden Keown and Paul Davis.