Winter has finally arrived for the Mid South Eastern Football League along with one close result at last after a few weekends of four mis-matches.
In Round 11 played on Saturday, reigning premiers Kalangadoo held off a gallant Mount Burr at home by 15 points, but there were big margins in the three other contests.
They ranged from 57 to 147 points for an average of 98 points.
Kongorong’s tally of 2.1 was the lowest number of scoring shots in a MSEFL A Grade contest for a few seasons.
Round 12 is being played on Saturday and then there is a statewide break on July 14-16 for the annual state country football championships at Victor Harbor.
Kalangadoo 10.9 def. Mount Burr 8.6
The Kalangadoo Magpies took flight and wore down the Mount Burr Mozzies in the final stanza.
The visitors looked better with the recovery from injury of playing coach Clint Gallio and ex-skipper Nathan Muhovics.
The home side has regained its mojo and is looking a premiership threat.
The home team was missing teenage forward Connor Gentile who had a run with the SANFL zone club Glenelg Reserves outfit.
Gentile was one of 10 goal scorers as the third-placed SANFL Tigers defeated eighth-placed Central Districts by 57 points.
In the B Grade contest, Kalangadoo acknowledged the 350th senior game of club stalwart Chris Mules.
The Magpies head away from home in round 12 to take on the unbeaten Hatherleigh Eagles in another replay of the 2023 grand final.
Crowd numbers will be high and there will be celebrations next door for the 70th anniversary of the Hatherleigh Hall.
Mount Burr is home to Nangwarry.
Port MacDonnell 20.20 def. Nangwarry 6.5
It took a quarter to do so but Port MacDonnell eventually shook off the home team at Nangwarry and won by a hefty 99 points.
The Demons welcomed the percentage boost as it sits just outside the top four with the same number of wins as fourth-placed Kalangadoo.
The Saints had desperately wanted to sing the club’s victory song for the sake of popular clubman Mick Chaplin who was playing his 150th game.
Nangwarry plays at Mount Burr on Saturday while Port MacDonnell players have no scheduled games in the next two weekends.
Hatherleigh 24.16 def. Kongorong 2.1
A one-sided contest was anticipated and this proved to be the case when unbeaten ladder leader Hatherleigh went to Kongorong.
The mis-match was obvious early in the game.
As predicted by this column last week, Hatherleigh chose to give some of their colts game time in A Grade.
Making their debuts in A Grade were Oskar Howell and third-generation Hatherleigh player Oliver Fitzgerald.
After just one Reserves match, former Tantanoola skipper and Millicent coach Lyndon Smith played A Grade for the first time in 2024.
The Eagles host the Magpies in the round 12 blockbuster while Kongorong takes on Robe.
Robe 15.14 def. Glencoe 6.11
It might have been premiership reunion day at Glencoe, but the honours went to Robe.
The seasiders did not concede a goal until well into the third term and mastered the difficult conditions.
It was reported that over an imperial inch of rain (25ml) fell overnight and it drizzled for much of the afternoon.
The Roosters were keen to get the premiership points after the early season furore when they lost them as a result of a team sheet error.
With a lead of 50 points at the last change, Robe playing coach Nathan Brown used colourful language to again remind his players of those events.
The visitors took a 37-point lead into quarter time and increased this to 50 points by the long break.
Honours were shared in the second half but there remained intense action and field umpires Adam Gilbert, Barry Nilsson and Chris Brooks earned their pay.
Robe skipper and centreman Henry Lawrie was clearly best on ground and must surely have booked a place in the SE zone team to compete in the SA Country Football Championships.
Kongorong recruit Matt Cordy stood out for Glencoe with three of his side’s six goals.
The loss means the Murphies are now two wins and 12%age points outside the top four with only six games to play.
The first gathering of the Glencoe Past Players and Officials Association was held in the Viewing Room during half-time of the A Grade football match.
Among the honoured guests was 87-year-old Bob Childs who was a premiership wingman with the Murphies dating back to the early 1950s.
The Murphies head to Tigerland in round 12 when the Neil Von Duve Memorial Cup is decided.
It honours the memory of the respected Glencoe and Tantanoola player and Mid South Eastern Football League player.
Past Glencoe coach and Mail Medallist Zacc Cocks might again be missing as he left the field in the final term with a leg injury.
The Roosters host the Hawks on Saturday and then there is a bye across South Australia for the annual SA Country Championships at Victor Harbor.
