Depleted Doves fall in

DOVETON held off a powerful finish from BERWICK to win Saturday’s match-of-the-day by 12 points at the Edwin Flack Reserve.
The Doves led by nine goals at one stage during the third term, but the Wickers refused to lie down and made a last-quarter charge at the tiring visitors.
Both sides were without several key players and there were early danger signs for the Wickers when the Doves went in to the half-time break holding a 35-point lead and in complete control of the game.
Berwick coach Glenn Dale swung a few changes in desperation.
Jason Heath moved on to Doves’ star Danny Casset, Matt Ravenhall and young ruckman Jarryd Buntine started things happening in the centre and big full-forward Grant Noonan kicked two important goals to reduce the Doves’ lead to 31 points at the final change.
When Brad Miles reduced the margin to 25 points with beautiful running goal from 50 metres at the three-minute mark of the final term, the Berwick tails were up.
It was then a matter of hanging on for the Doves as Noonan slotted his seventh and eighth major for the afternoon to reduce the difference to 13 points halfway through the quarter.
The sides went goal for goal late in the quarter, but in the end it was the experience and steadiness of captain Justin Hill, together with Daniel Charles, Callum Pattie and Brad Downe that saw the Doves retain their advantage and stave off the Wickers’ brave challenge.
Both sides were amazingly accurate at goal, a rarity in modern football, and between them scored 32.12 for the afternoon, with Casset (9.2) and Noonan (8.1) the stars. Youngster Billy Carlyle was among the Wickers best players, along with Noonan, Tuck, Rahilly and Buntine who battled manfully against experienced opponents in the ruck all day.
CRANBOURNE held sway by a few points over DEVON MEADOWS at each break in play and finally triumphed by 22 points after a typically tight and desperate contest for the McAleese-Flanigan Cup.
After a tight first term that saw only seven points separate the sides, Devon Meadows lifted through midfielders Jesse Dehey, Brandon Wapshott and Luke Martin, pounding the goals in the second quarter, but missing the target, booting 3.7 and blowing their chance to apply scoreboard pressure to the home side.
After the long break it was the Eagles’ turn to spray their chances with a return of 3.9 to the Panthers 4.1 for the third quarter.
There were only six points the Eagles’ way between the two sides at the last change, but it was the home side that showed the superior physical and mental strength to steady and earn an important win in a crucial game.
Matthew Rus continued his great season for Cranbourne with a best afield performance out of defence, while five players booted more than one goal for the victors in a good spread of attacking options.
NARRE WARREN scored a last-ditch 16-point win over KEYSBOROUGH in the grand-final replay at Rowley Allen Reserve.
It was by far the best effort this season from the winless Burra and came after a tough week in which star recruit Vic Currie was told to take a few weeks off to assess his future after failing to reach expectations in the first five rounds.
The Magpies entered the game without experienced pair Glenn Hamilton and Steven Kidd and looked physically inferior to the Burra who wasted early opportunities and trailed by two points at the first change.
The game was a real battle for supremacy from then on with young Magpies Dylan Piening, Justin Marriott and Daniel Uzarevic showing their class around the ground, while Burra stars Tyson King, Greg Walker and Travis Skidmore did a lot of heavy work in the packs.
The scores were locked up at both half and three-quarter time, setting up the final term as the deciding stanza.
The visitors grabbed an early goal through the efforts of leader Brett Evans and made the running, countering all efforts from the tiring Keysborough midfield.
Steady play from the Narre Warren defence, led by Jarrod Anderson, proved telling and the Burra was left to lament another loss, despite significant improvement. A new uncomplicated game plan, combined with belief that they are a genuine chance in every contest, helped TOORADIN to a barnstorming 44-point victory over HAMPTON PARK at the Western Port oval.
The Redbacks approached the clash with confidence and looked on their game from the start with key forwards Matt Shorey, Kevin McLean and Shane Moffatt presenting well with the aid of a slight breeze in the opening term.
Hampton Park led by two goals at the first change and that margin should have been greater, given the Redbacks had the majority of play and controlled the ball around the ground, but did not apply scoreboard pressure as they should have.
The Seagulls took a two-point lead into the half-time break, thanks largely to an increase in work rate around the ground from Adam Splatt, Michael Hobbs and big ruckman Steve Arvanitis.
The Seagulls led by two goals at the final change and bolted away to record a convincing victory. Arvanitis finished with four goals and was named best afield.
THE clash between PAKENHAM and ROC was as good as over at quarter time after a ruthless Lions outfit put on a demonstration of run-and-carry football that broke the Kangaroos spirits early.
The final margin of 75 points was probably a just result with the home side dominating play for most of the game, despite a season-ending injury to premiership defender Stuart Burridge late in the game.
PEARCEDALE full-for-ward Kerem Baskaya booted an amazing 11 goals in a best afield performance in the Panth-ers 118-point belting of SOMERVILLE in Nepean League.
Baskaya’s younger brother Kain finished the day alongside his sibling among the day’s better performers with three majors in the one-sided goalfest.