HATHERLEIGH V SOUTH GAMBIER
Hatherleigh continued its unbeaten run in the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League under 16 competition on Friday night.
The Eagles took on South Gambier at Blue Lake Sports Park in round 7 of the season, proving too strong for the Demons to claim a 42-point win.
Both sides were eager to get the ball early and hit the scoreboard but the defensive lines had other ideas, playing rebounding football with plenty of back and forward football in the first five minutes of the quarter.
But it was the leader for the Hatherleigh team in Chloe Bellinger who lifted her teammates and started to play the style of game the Eagles are known for, using plenty of run to overpower their opposition and find the big sticks.
Hatherleigh had all the play go its way after the slow start, but to the Demons’ credit they were determined to take it right up to the competition leaders and showed some good patches of play.
The Demons’ Ella Guest had the ball on a string, but her side was unable to take advantage of the inside attack with the Eagle’s strong defence quickly forcing the ball back towards their own forward line.
Hatherleigh’s Niah Faulkner provided a target up forward and caused headaches for the Demons’ defenders, kicking two early goals.
Hatherleigh went into the first break with a 14-point lead, but the Demons let themselves down by not capitalising on forward opportunities.
In the second quarter the Demons got first use of the ball with great running and teamwork, but Hatherleigh’s solid defence dug in its heels in and repelled the ball to hit their forwards.
South’s Guest and Bailey Broome started to work hard along with Jarrah Altschwager, but the strong work of Hatherleigh’s Kalani Dunn and Sebella Coghlan around the packs thwarted their efforts.
The ascendancy was all Hatherleigh’s with Kalli Nettle and Amber Chester lifting their work-rate and helping out other teammates with the one percenters.
With Hatherleigh only scoring one goal for the term, the Demons had some players lift their intensity in Sam Hobson and Brianna Philby, who both found plenty of possession.
Hatherleigh held on to a 20-point lead at the half-time break while the Demons managed to get a point on the board.
It was a tight third quarter from both teams with fierce tackling and contests in the wide-open space.
However, Hatherleigh’s forwardline found it difficult to convert, only managing three behinds thanks to the Demons defence standing tall, with Guest leading the way for the Demons.
Eva Crowe and Bellinger pulled out all stops to find the ball for Hatherleigh, but found themselves up against a strong Demons defence.
The Eagles went into the last break with a 24-point lead.
In the last term Hatherleigh put the foot down and showed why they are the leaders of the competition with Bellinger, Dunn and Chester finding Faulkner up forward.
The work rate of Guest, Broome and Altschwager along with Lilah Rowe for the Demons would have pleased the coach but the turnovers cost them dearly in the game.
Hatherleigh’s Faulkner had a night out up forward, kicking five goals in a best on ground performance and was supported by Chester, Nettle, and Dunn while the Demons’ Guest, Altschwager, Hobson and Philby performed well.
The 42-point win to Hatherleigh stretches the side’s unbeaten record to seven games on the trot.
KYBYBOLITE V KONGORONG
The match between Kybybolite and Kongorong lived up to expectations with both sides going hard at the ball from the outset.
It was the Hawks who found the momentum early through Evie Sealey, who showed her ability to crash the packs and find the ball while being closely guarded by her opponent.
Kyby showed its determination with plenty of bodies on the line, gaining the hard ball gets.
The first quarter was an extremely hard game of football with both sides throwing themselves at every contest but neither side was able to gain clear momentum and run away with the ball.
This was evident from the Hawks’ Lilly Gordon who played her usual tough game and refused to let the opposition break clear.
There was plenty of ‘in and under’ work, but it was the Hawks who got the first score on the board from a rushed behind and held onto the lead right up until the siren.
At the first change the Hawks lead by just one point in a tough contest.
In the second quarter both teams hit the ball hard again and neither gave any room to move around the ground and pick up possessions.
The work-rate again from both midfields was excellent with plenty of attacking and defending football on display.
Kyby’s Chloe Copping used her height well to punch the ball away and give her smaller teammates an opportunity to crumb, before Mia McCarthy peppered the goal line.
The Hawks’ Sealey and Jasmin McKinnon lifted while Gordon was still hard at the body of the opposition and making them work.
At the main break both teams were locked away at seven points apiece and no one had the upper hand.
Kyby came out a different side in the third term while the Hawks looked to have lost some run and the ability to get through the defensive line of Kyby.
Kyla Gordon provided a target up forward for the Hawks and had some opportunities to score, but only managed to split the small sticks.
Kyby was on the money and they kicked two goals to the Hawks one point to take the lead at three quarter time by 11 points.
Kyby had the ball on a string in the last quarter, with the Hawks’ players running out of legs.
But to the young Hawks’ credit they did not give up and fought to the end, but could not stop Kyby taking the points in a 20-point win.
