Square wins fight with yellow and black

GOLDEN Square withstood a spirited fight from Kyneton to score an eight-point victory in Saturday’s fifteenth round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League.

Beaten by Kyneton in the previous showdown in round six, Golden Square made a strong start to this contest on home turf at Fur Life Oval on Wade Street.

The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs led 34-13 at quarter-time, but the Tigers won the second term, 26-19.

In the third the Tigers cut the deficit by a goal to be within eight points going into the final quarter.

It was a goal apiece in the last as the Bulldogs won a top contest, 89-81.

Leader of the race for the Ron Best Medal goalkicking award, Joel Brett, kicked a match-high five majors for Golden Square as Jack Hickman had three, and Ricky Monti on two, were the other multiple goalkickers.

Kyneton’s attack was led by Angus Nolte with five and Ben Cameron on four.

Bulldogs’ captain Jack Geary was best afield along with defender Jon Coe, Jack Hickman and Ryan Hartley.

While on the Tigers’ best were Ben Cameron, Angus Nolte, Harrison Huntley and Frazer Driscoll.

Despite the defeat, Kyneton climbed to the fifth rung on percentage after Eaglehawk was beaten by Sandhurst.

The 19-point victory for the Dragons away at Canterbury Park kept the their finals hopes alive.

The Ash Connick-coached Sandhurst led 58-52 at three quarter-time and then scored 5.4 to 3.3 in the last to win 92-73.

Cobi Maxted kicked four goals in a best afield performance for Sandhurst as ruckman Hamish Hosking, Jeremy Rodi and Zach Pallpratt won plenty of the ball.

At QEO second-quarter blitz of 6.3 to 1.2 put Gisborne up by six goals at the half in their clash with South Bendigo.

Key defender Jack Reaper, ruckman Braidon Blake, Seb Bell-Bartels and Matt Weber led the way as Matt Panuccio kicked three goals for Gisborne.

Kangaroo Flat charged to a six-goal lead at half-time on the way to a 73-46 win on home turf at Dower Park against Castlemaine.

Meanwhile, Lachlan Sharp kicked nine goals as Strathfieldsaye dominated at Maryborough’s Princes Park.