By DAVID NAGEL
DOVETON’s startling turnaround in form has continued in the Casey Cardinia league with the Doves scoring their fourth consecutive win, over ROC, at Robinson Oval on Saturday.
The Doves, who won just two of their first eight outings, are now likely to be just one game outside the final five, when week two, of a split round 12, is completed this Saturday.
Doveton hit the ground running on the weekend with ruckman Frank D’Agostino, rover Michael Henry, and skipper Shannon Henwood dominating the early exchanges.
The Doves took a 16-point lead to the first break before wasting a host of ball in the second term, kicking 1.7 to 0.1 to take a 28-point lead into half time.
The Doves put the issue beyond doubt in the third with a 7.5 to 2.2 blast that had the visitors on the back-foot and 61 points behind with a quarter to go. Doveton’s dominance was exemplified by 20 scoring shots at goal, to just five for ROC, during the second and third quarters.
Ricky Hayes kicked four for the winners, while Lachie Batten also had a huge influence, slotting three in a quick and classy display. Michael Rodriquez and Mitch Anderson joined Henry and Henwood as the Doves best players.
Pakenham has really earned its mid-season break this week after the Lions made it nine wins from their last 10 games with a 101-point victory over Keysborough at Toomuc Reserve.
The Lions started well enough, kicking out to a 21-point lead at quarter time, before a dominant 7.7 to 1.2 second term finished the game as a contest. Pakenham’s goals came from unlikely sources, with youngsters Blake Rout and Troy Toussaint chipping in with five and four goals respectively, while the more experienced Cory Lenders and Jason Williams chimed in with three apiece.
The Lions mid-field brigade of Dean Blake, Dom Paynter and Anthony Young joined Toussaint and Lenders as the Lions best players while regular full-back Nathan Brown slipped forward to kick a goal of his own.
Burra skipper Ryan Goodes led his side magnificently on the weekend while Richard Minney, Jayke Hopkins and Tim Werner all slotted two goals to be their side’s only multiple contributors.
Round 12 will be completed this Saturday when Narre Warren hosts Berwick, Cranbourne welcomes Tooradin down the South Gippsland Highway and Beaconsfield will fill its boots with a huge win over Hampton Park.
The Narre Warren versus Berwick contest will have a huge bearing on where the Wickers finish at season’s end.
No-one expects the Wickers to win this one, but with Magpie stars like Michael Collins, Kain Baskaya and Josh Tonna all away representing the VCFL No.2 team against the VAFA, the door might be ajar for the Wickers to walk through.
A win will basically assure the Wickers of a double-chance at the end of the season while a fourth straight loss will see them slip into equal fifth place with Beaconsfield.
