GOLDEN Square dominated Saturday\u2019s round fourteen clash with Sandhurst as the long-time Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League rivals met at Queen Elizabeth Oval.<\/p>\n
Stung by a home-ground loss to Eaglehawk the previous Saturday, the Bulldogs were snarling from the first contest against the Dragons.<\/p>\n
The Christian Carter-coached Golden Square led 22-8 at quarter-time and 39-10 by the half.<\/p>\n
A Blair Holmes goal early in the third lifted Dragons\u2019 hopes, but the blue and gold then slammed on 7.2 to gain a 64-point lead at a quarter to play.<\/p>\n
It was an evenly fought final term which Golden Square won, 22-17, on the way to a 105-36 victory.<\/p>\n
Leader in the race for the Ron Best Medal as the league\u2019s top goalkicker, Joel Brett booted five as Jayden Burke added three.<\/p>\n
A veteran of more than 200 games, Holmes led Sandhurst\u2019s attack on two majors.<\/p>\n
Bulldogs\u2019 onballer Ryan Hartley was best afield as defender Jon Coe and captain Jack Geary won plenty of the footy as Jack Hickman, Joel Brett and Liam Barrett also starred.<\/p>\n
Sandhurst\u2019s best were Isaac Carracher, Cooper Smith, James Coghlan, Jake McLean, Jeremy Rodi and Blair Holmes.<\/p>\n
It was a disappointing result for Sandhurst\u2019s Lee Coghlan who marked his 200th senior match.<\/p>\n
A premiership player for the maroon and blue, Coghlan won the Michelsen Medal as an 18-year-old in 2009.<\/p>\n
One of Golden Square\u2019s most consistent and hardest working players Jake Thrum also marked a key milestone, playing his 100th senior match for the club.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s victory meant Golden Square held third place, four points ahead of South Bendigo.<\/p>\n
The Ash Connick-coached Sandhurst has a six and eight record and is two wins behind the fifth and sixth-placed Eaglehawk and Kyneton.<\/p>\n
Gisborne is now two wins clear on top of the ladder after a 58-point victory against Strathfieldsaye at Gardiner Reserve.<\/p>\n
Bulldogs\u2019 captain Pat McKenna kicked eight goals in the 116-58 victory in the clash between first and second.<\/p>\n
Eaglehawk jumped into the five after an 84-point win against Maryborough at Canterbury Park.<\/p>\n
The Hawks are .63 per cent clear of Kyneton which beat Kangaroo Flat.<\/p>\n
South Bendigo won at Castlemaine by 97 points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GOLDEN Square dominated Saturday\u2019s round fourteen clash with Sandhurst as the long-time Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League rivals met at Queen Elizabeth Oval. Stung by a home-ground loss to Eaglehawk the previous Saturday, the Bulldogs were snarling from the first contest against the Dragons. The Christian Carter-coached Golden Square led 22-8 at quarter-time and 39-10 […]<\/p>\n