By Lachlan Mitchell
Doveton has bounced back in 2022 to be 5-0 to start the fresh new season.
The new-look Doves outfit snuck past a Chelsea Heights unit by four-points.
Doveton came into the clash after a bye and were looking to continue its stellar start to the season.
Old ways looked to have crept back into the Doves side after they failed to hit the scoreboard in the first quarter on a tough day at Beazley Reserve.
The blistery conditions making goal-kicking hard with easy opportunity’s squandered.
Doveton made an impact on the scoreboard through captain/coach Michael Cardamone who got the scoreboard moving in the second quarter.
The Doves trailed at the main break by nine points in a low-scoring affair.
Tough contest and a high intensity third quarter saw Doveton trail by 11 going into the final term.
Cardamone was once again required to impact the scoreboard and the side still trailed by two points with less than 30-seconds on the clock.
Up-stepped Ashley Brown to fire his side into the lead and help them record their fifth win of the season.
Doveton remain undefeated this season but were feeling the wears of a rigid week on the track, after a lengthy break due to the bye.
Doves coach Michael Cardamone was impressed with his sides resilience to bounce back after a slow start to the day .
“It’s always tricky coming off the bye, you don’t know if the boys are going to be flat,” he explained.
“We were well-rested and ready to go but I thought we came out a little bit flat.
“We had a harder week on the track because of the bye.
“We didn’t adapt to the conditions as well as we could have. It was pleasing to scrape out a win when we probably didn’t perform at our best.
The tight win provides the Doves with the resilience to prevail in tight contests.
“We knew Chelsea are a good side and right up there contending for a premiership and a top three spot,” Cardamone explained.
“We have no thoughts it was going to be easy and we knew it was going to be tough.
“They squeezed us in and played a really contested game and to their credit, they played a really good game.”
Hampton Park also strung together its third win in a row when it disposed of Highett at Turner Reserve.
Nathan Wilson’s men had to conquer an 11-point half-time deficit to over-run Highett by 20-points.
Kyle Hendy and Nathan Carver kicked four goals each in the win that sees the Redbacks rocket to fifth on the ladder.
East Brighton had a convincing 66-point win over Heatherton at home. The Vampires limiting Heatherton to one goal for the afternoon.
The Vampires could have inflicted more damage kicking 9.21 in a wayward time in front of goal.
Caulfield and Skye has a tight tussle with the Bears prevailing by seven points. A three goal final quarter by the Bears saw them hold on.
Skye’s inaccuracy cost them the four-points with 10.10 its biggest cause for concern. Bears Chris Smith chiming in for five goals.
SOUTHERN DIVISION TWO
RESULTS – ROUND 6
Chelsea Heights 4.8 32 v Doveton Doves 4.12 36, East Brighton 9.21 75 v Heatherton 1.3 9, Highett 11.8 74 v Hampton Park 13.16 94, Skye 10.10 70 v Caulfield Bears 12.5 77, Keysborough – Bye.
LADDER
Doveton Doves 20, Chelsea Heights 16, Keysborough 16, Highett 12, Hampton Park 12, Caulfield Bears 8, East Brighton 8, Skye 0, Heatherton 0.
FIXTURE – ROUND 7
Caulfield Bears v Highett, Hampton Park v East Brighton, Doveton Doves v Skye, Keysborough v Chelsea Heights, Heatherton – Bye.
