MAFFRA showed little mercy to Wonthaggi, preventing the Power’s charge on its way to a 126-point thrashing.
The undefeated Eagles are now a win clear on top of the Gippsland League football ladder following their 24.27 (171) to 5.5 (35) victory.
The result was more a reflection on Maffra’s strong play and the gap between the sides.
The match was effectively over by quarter-time, when the Eagles led by 58 points after kicking nine unanswered goals in the first term.
In ideal conditions for football, Maffra controlled the match with quick ball movement and hard running.
The Eagles found a way through the Power defence by finding players in space and changing their point of attack.
Pressure applied by the Eagles created turnovers, and made the Power pay for its errors.
Midfielders Danny Butcher and Jack Johnstone’s use of the ball, along with Lachlan Channing across half-forward, was superb.
Sean Day was outstanding in defence, while Mitch Bennett kicked five goals, Andrew Petrou four and Daniel Bedggood three.
Petrou’s second goal of the day early in the second quarter extended Maffra’s lead to 67 points, followed by Wonthaggi’s opening two majors, reducing the margin to 56 points.
The Eagles were missing chances for goal, but that was rectified when Johnstone kicked a goal after marking a Wonthaggi kick-in from full-back.
Maffra’s dominance was typified by a Bennett goal, which capped off a faultless piece of teamwork moving the ball from defence into attack.
Further goals from Butcher and Bennett gave Maffra an 83-point lead at half-time.
The third quarter was more even, with both sides kicking three goals as Maffra took an 88-point lead into the final term.
The Eagles finished the demolition in the fourth quarter, kicking seven unanswered goals.
Wonthaggi’s Kris McCarthy and Curtis Gilmour tried hard to battle the Eagles in the midfield, but their efforts were in vain.
David BraithwaiteUNDER the sparkling night lights on an ideal Traralgon surface, Sale steadied during the middle stages of the match to record its second victory of the Gippsland League football season.
The Magpies came home with a gutsy 22-victory for the previously undefeated Maroons, 13.14 (92) to 9.16 (70).
With Traralgon dominating the early play, Sale had to fight to stay in the match during the first quarter.
With slick ball movement and the Maroons’ outside players running hard, Jamie Sweeney was strong in defence as the Magpies steadied through Jarrod Freeman, who kicked two goals, one courtesy of a 50 metre penalty, to help the visitors lead narrowly by two points at quarter-time.
An injury to John Gooch early in the first term was stretching the Sale rotations and as Traralgon continued to press hard, the Magpies’ long ineffective kicks out of defence played into the Maroons’ hands. Two late Sale goals from Jack Lipman and Jack Mapleson, via a free kick for a dangerous tackle, managed to hold the Maroons’ lead, as the Magpies entered the main break nine points down.
The third quarter saw Sale turn the corner, effectively shutting down the Maroons’ run and taking advantage of Lipman’s dominance in the ruck. The Magpies looked dangerous one-on-one in their front half and began to isolate their forwards.
With strong marking, Brad Dessent slotted three goals for the quarter to give the Magpies the advantage, as they kicked six goals to one, opening up a 23-point lead at the final break.
With the dew settling, greasy ground conditions prevailed.
The Magpies gave away some cheap free kicks which gifted the Maroons forward opportunities.
The feeling that the Maroons could edge their way back into the contest grew, but with a tight goal to Adam Wallace, the Magpies stemmed the comeback. From this point, the Magpies controlled the final quarter to finish 22-point victors in a fast, high quality game of football.
The Magpies’ composure and maturity was the main factor in their controlling of the second half.
Individually, Lipman continued his good form dominating in the ruck, while the Dowse twins, Mitch and Nic, were strong in the contest. Kane Martin and Brad McKay were clean with ball in hand. Sweeney was strong in defence with Brad Dessent the most dangerous forward, kicking four goals, and Freeman three.
Sale is one of six teams with two wins from three starts.
Sam AnsteeMatch reviews taken from Gippsland Times, South Gippsland Sentinel Times and Warragul & Drouin Gazette. The following original posts can be found online:
Maffra v Wonthaggi (Gippsland Times): http://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/story/5358802/eagles-excel-against-power/?cs=1576
Sale v Traralgon (Gippsland Times): http://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/story/5358817/sale-stuns-maroons-under-lights/?cs=1576
Reviews taken from South Gippsland Sentinel Times and Warragul & Drouin Gazette are available to view online via subscription only.
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