By Jonty Ralphsmith
Cranbourne has overcame a fast Chelsea Heights start at a typically blustery Livingston Reserve in front of 20 members of their 1993 premiership team.
As he has done every week so far this season, Kirk Dickson kicked multiple goals, finishing with five in the Southern Division 1 clash.
Chelsea Heights used the wind in the first quarter to skip out to a 21-point lead, but only kicked one goal after quarter time.
Ruck Michael Boland, veteran defender Glenn Osborne and the consistent Matthew Allister were all named in the best as Cranbourne turned it around.
Cheltenham has affirmed itself as Southern League flag favourites for a second consecutive season with a comfortable win over an undermanned Dingley.
Kicking against a strong breeze in the first quarter at Dingley’s home base, the Rosellas put on the first four goals which put them in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the contest.
An Adam Peacock front and centre gather and snap was the Dingoes’ only goal in the first half.
Despite having a share of the entries when kicking with the wind, the inside 50 kicks were too predictable, allowing Cheltenham to intercept and slingshot, using Sean Lai as an effective quarterback.
The absences of Nathan Freeman and Cam Dickie tested the depth of a squad which has had a good run with injuries in 2023 and forced a shuffle of the magnets in the midfield.
A torrential downpour in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter turned the rest of the match into a slogfest and robbed the Dingoes of an opportunity to close the margin in the third quarter.
They kicked just one more goal for the afternoon – via youngster Zac White.
Lochie Benton tried to set Dingley up off halfback, with his confidence and creative ball use, off the back of a season-best outing against Bentleigh.
But it was the next disposal that lacked polish for his team as inefficiency going inside 50 hurt.
Kristen Feehan also played a good role, sinking his fist into anything that came in his area.
Cheltenham’s star goalkicker Josh Fox was restricted to three goals – but it was of little solace given it was not a day suited to big boys and the the team kicked 14 in total.
With players such as Alex Windhager, Cody Cochrane and Lachie Lamble, among others, either to go or going overseas in the second half of the season, the Dingoes were always going to be stretched after King’s Birthday.
All, however, will return for finals.
Games against Cranbourne, Port Melbourne and Springvale Districts in the next three weeks will give an indication of whether the system is sufficient enough to offset the loss of talent.
Springvale Districts was too good for Mordialloc, winning by 22 points.
The Demons led by 10 going into the last quarter with the breeze, the ascendancy set up by a third quarter where they were able to break even at two goals apiece despite unfavorable conditions.
DIVISION 1
Results: Port Melbourne Colts 23.15 151 v St Kilda City 3.7 25, Cranbourne 10.12 72 v Chelsea Heights 5.5 35, St Paul’s McKinnon 12.14 86 v Bentleigh 4.10 34, Dingley 2.5 17 v Cheltenham 14.10 94, Springvale Districts 11.8 74 v Mordialloc 7.10 52
Ladder: Cheltenham 36, Cranbourne 32, Dingley 32, Springvale Districts 28, Port Melbourne Colts 24, St Paul’s McKinnon 24, Chelsea Heights 8, Bentleigh 8, St Kilda City 4, Mordialloc 4.
Fixture: Chelsea Heights v Port Melbourne Colts, Mordialloc v St Paul’s McKinnon, Bentleigh v Cheltenham, St Kilda City v Springvale Districts, Dingley v Cranbourne.
