MISSED chances in front of goal proved costly for Bendigo as it suffered a 36-point loss to Ballarat in their under-18 inter-league clash on Saturday.
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Bendigo had just one less scoring shot than Ballarat at the Eastern Oval, but the home side was victorious in winning 18.7 (115) to 11.13 (79).
The middle two quarters proved decisive in Ballarat winning the game when it outscored Bendigo 13 goals to six during the second and third terms.
Bendigo led by four points at quarter-time, 2.4 to 2.0.
But Ballarat wouldn’t surrender the lead for the rest of the game after Daniel Rioli kicked the opening goal of the second quarter.
Rioli’s goal was the first of four in a row in the first nine minutes of the second quarter for Ballarat, which also slammed on five in a row in another nine-minute period during the third term.
“Ballarat was very good at controlling the play and was a well-drilled side,” Bendigo coach Darryl Wilson said.
“Our boys had a red-hot crack all game, but we just couldn’t kick straight and that was the difference.”
One of the talking points after the game was the early finish to the last quarter.
Ballarat Football League operations manager Aaron Nunn said the last quarter was cut short by "about five minutes" to ensure the senior teams preparation time remained in line with the day's running sheet.
Bendigo named captain Kalan Huntly, who played midfield and forward, its best player.
Jake Moorhead (two goals), who was used in a variety of roles, onballer Sam Kennedy, forward Jake Conolan, who was awarded Bendigo’s AFL Victoria Country Medal, Lachlan Atherton off half-back and Jack Coghlan were also in the best for Bendigo.
Moorhead and Fergus Greene (two goals) were the only multiple goalkickers for Bendigo.
Saturday’s result was a 61-point turnaround on the 2013 meeting between Bendigo and Ballarat, which the Blue and Gold won by 25 points two years earlier.
• Elsewhere in under-18 inter-league on Saturday, Heathcote District went down by five points in a cracking contest against Central Murray at the QEO.
Just like the senior game, both sides kicked a score of more than 100, with Central Murray winning 17.13 (115) to 16.14 (110).
Matthew Filo (two goals), William Lowe, Storm Giri, Jack Dye (two goals), Jeremy Morgan and Josh Formosa were Heathcote District’s best players. Wade Bonham booted four goals.
• And at Geelong’s St Albans Reserve, North Central was jumped early and beaten by 46 points by Geelong District.
Geelong District led by 21 points at quarter-time on the way to a 12.10 (82) to 5.6 (36) victory.
Edward Landwehr, Jordan Bath, Sean Hogan, Rhordan Holt, Louis Holt and Jordan Summers led North Central’s better players.
