By Lachlan Mitchell
Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) Division Two was back in a big way after the Easter break.
Doveton returned to its winning ways and Hampton Park still chases its first win of the season.
The Doves returned to the nest at Robinson Reserve to face an under-manned Heatherton outfit.
The Tunners were facing an up-hill battle after losing a number of players prior to the clash.
The Doves reached new heights in the first quarter keeping their opposition scoreless to lead by 27 at the first break.
Heatherton got its first on the board through David Velardo and Cameron Dalton.
Doveton was able to extend the margin through Michael Cardamone who helped his side edge away to a 53-point half-time lead.
The third-quarter remained much the same as the Doves stretched the margin to 94 going into the final quarter.
The final term Doveton fans witnessed a six-goal avalanche led by Dylan Chapman’s dominance in the ruck.
Doveton running out 137-point victors, the hosts limiting Heatherton to a 2.3 and keeping them goal-less in the second quarter.
The win sees Doveton sit atop the Division 2 ladder and remaining undefeated.
Doveton captain-coach Cardamone puts his side’s resurgence down to a hard work and a solid pre-season.
“It comes down to a really good pre-season and everyone playing their role,” he explained.
“We are just sticking to the structure; Heatherton were short on numbers.
“We had to concentrate on ourselves, it was good to have a good win like that, with no injuries.”
Cardamone finished with seven goals in the thumping win.
“It’s always nice to get on the end of a few,” he said.
“It obviously comes down to the midfield and the supply of the forward entry and we had something like 60 inside 50’s.
“The midfield winning the battle is helping with forward entries.
“We had nine individual goal-kickers which was the most pleasing.”
Although Doveton has an unbeaten start to the season, there is still plenty to work on.
“We have a lot to improve on,” Cardamone said
“We probably haven’t played our best footy for four quarters in our first three games. We have probably played our best in patches.
“Our biggest issue moving forward is being more consistent, trying to play four quarters of football.
“We just have to keep training hard, and keep training how you play, and keep creating a strong platform moving forward.”
Hampton Park couldn’t get the job done against Keysborough at home.
The Redbacks struggled to transition between attack and defence.
Enayte Samadi, Liam Myatt and Jye King kicked multiples for the Redbacks, but it wasn’t enough seeing them fall 39 points short of the Borough.
Skye faced a fierce Chelsea Heights with the Demons prevailing by 81 points.
Former Melbourne AFL player Luke Tapscott showed his class and experience hammering home four of his own for Chelsea.
SOUTHERN DIVISION TWO
RESULTS – ROUND 3
Doveton 22.21.153 v Heatherton 2.4.16, Hampton Park 11.7.73 v Keysborough 16.16.112, Skye 1.8.14 v Chelsea Heights 12.23.95, Caulfield 8.8.56 v East Brighton 9.15.69.
LADDER
Doveton 12, Chelsea Heights, Highett, Keysborough, East Brighton 8, Caulfield 4, Hampton Park, Skye, Heatherton 0.
FIXTURE – ROUND 4
Chelsea Heights v Highett, Hampton Park v Skye, Heatherton v Keysborough, East Brighton v Doveton, Caulfield Bears – Bye.
