SANDHURST posted their ninth win of the 2015 season with 12 goalkickers hitting the scoreboard as the Dragons accounted for Kyneton by 49 points on Saturday.
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At an Arctic QEO the Hurst runners in Lee Coghlan, Codie Price and Jake Twycross kept pumping the ball into attack ensuring the pressured Tiger defenders were on the back foot all afternoon.
At the other end of the field and despite Mitchell Scholard’s match-high five majors for Kyneton, the Dragon defence was rock solid.
The Tigers were held to a meagre five goals by the last change and although winning the last quarter 6.4 to 5.2 it was Sandhurst who triumphed 19.13 (129) to 11.12 (78).
The highlight of the opening term was a great mark and goal by Dragons’ second-gamer Fergus Greene.
The Tigers made a mini-charge early in the second term with Scholard and Alik Magin on target as they reduced the deficit to seven points.
But Hurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick had switched big marking Matt Thornton into the front half and majors to him, Zac East, Ryan Haythorpe and Alexander Pollock restored the home side’s comfortable advantage.
With the QEO lights ablaze the Dragons wrapped up victory with a four-goal-to-one third quarter. Thornton launched the second half goalscoring when he stretched high in the scoreboard pocket in front of veteran Tiger Luke Beattie and nailed the Dragons’ tenth.
Price landed the goal-of-the-day when he burst down the grandstand wing, burnt off three would-be chasers and hammered home Sandhurst’s 14th major deep in time-on.
The Tigers did manage to nail four of the first five last quarter goals. Joel Stevenson was in charge of the ruck battles, his clear centre square tap went straight to Rhys Magin and Magin’s long, rolling shot scored at the city end.
Scholard and Alik Magin were also on target and when Stevenson’s huge pack mark was rewarded with Kyneton’s ninth goal, the Tigers had suddenly found some touch.
Alex Pollock steadied the Dragons with a fine, running goal and the Dragons added a couple more to cement their win.
Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick said key forward Ryan Haythorpe had suffered a slight strain or twitch to his groin and he was rested for the entire second half.
“We managed a couple of times to come back quickly when they pressured us with Pollock, Wharton and Parry able to convert quite well in that last term.”
Fitzpatrick said Sandhurst’s big test would come in round 12 when they travelled to Flight Centre Park to take on the undefeated Strathfieldsaye.
