By JARROD POTTER
IN THE battle for top spot, Springvale Districts ceded to Bentleigh – downed by 26 points in the All-Demon showdown.
Springvale Districts battled manfully in the first term, trailing only by a goal on the back of some strong football from Brendan Ashman (four goals).
From there, the Districts went to sleep – kicking two goals for the next two terms as Bentleigh ran up the scoreboard with seven of their own. A battling effort in the last term brought respectability to the scoreboard, but not the win as the Districts fell to an 11.8 (74) to 15.10 (100).
Ashman was a clear best on ground for Springvale Districts while Kris Merz, Daniel Wilson and David Ford also performed well.
Springvale sits sixth and faces Hampton.
SFL DIVISION 3
It wasn’t a week for the Dandenong-area clubs in Southern Football League, with Sandown and Lyndale bested while the Redlegs had a 75-point walkover against Hallam.
Sandown couldn’t find the last strike against Mount Waverley, despite a five-goal run-on last quarter.
Keeping the Mountain Lions to a one-goal last term, the Cobras only mustered four of the six needed, spraying seven behinds as well in a lopsided 12.14 (86) to 14.16 (100) loss. Jake Chapman (three goals) was the prime scorer while John Frenken, Jason Toan and Daniel Macklin were best.
With the match poised at a three-point three-quarter-time deficit, the Pumas failed to attack in the last term as newcomers Carrum Patterson Lakes knocked in four goals to take a 12.12 (84) to 9.11 (65) win. The Lyndale forwards performed ably as Matt Stuart (three goals), Trevor Kumetaitis (three) and Adam Read (two) made headway while Brett Tosh and David Luong were best afield.
Dandenong smashed Hallam 21.18 (144) to 11.3 (69), with coach Daniel Atkin (five goals) and Kevin Atkin (four) leading the way on the scoreboard while Levi Moss and Matt Van Schajik were best on.
Lyndale hosts Ashwood, Sandown heads to lowly Black Rock and Dandenong hosts premiership aspirant Mount Waverley.
VAFA – CLUB XVIII
Masala continues to improve in their inaugural season, downed 15.10 (100) to 6.5 (41), but getting their transition play and lead-up work in order. A fruitful third quarter, where the Tigers outscored UHS-VU four-goals-to-one, needs to be replicated in other terms, but the signs are there. Yasser Hussain, Brad Wood and Prakash Kailasanathan were best afield. Masala faces Eley Park Sharks at 11.40am at Whitehorse Reserve on Saturday.
VWFL – SOUTH EAST
St John’s had a scare against Seaford, with the Tigers running home with a stiff sail to keep the JOCs scoreless in the last term. St John’s had a handy buffer by that stage though, and ran our 7.7 (49) to 3.7 (25) victors. Michelle Densley (four) continued her goal-spree while Elizabeth Whitfield, Bronwyn Rogan and Rebecca Sadler excelled up the ground.
Keysborough made light work of Cranbourne in a 14.9 (93) to 3.3 (21) win, as Jaimee Lambert bagged seven goals with Crystal Brookes, Alice Allet and Lauren Foley the best of the Burra.
