SOUTH Bendigo unleashed a stunning late four-goal final quarter burst on Saturday to reel in Kyneton’s 20-point advantage and win by a straight kick.

With Leroy Miller unstoppable in the concluding 13 minutes as he nailed three goals the Bloods ran over the top of the fading Tigers to record their second win of the season.

Jut as importantly it was South’s first victory from six starts at Harry Trott Oval and demonstrated just how even the BFNL competition is.

And even though star full-forward Mitchell Scholard slotted eight majors for the Tigers he received little goal-kicking support as the Bloods held on for their 13.11 (89) to 12.11 (83) win.

The first half was an even hard-fought contest. Skipper Michael Rainey nailed Kyneton’s first goal early but Leroy and Isaiah Miller were busy in South’s front half.

Leroy eased home the first of his six for the day and when Cohen Balnaves slid through South’s third scores were level, 24 minutes in.

The Bloods sneaked out to a five-point lead by half-time.

Skipper Aaron Connaughton was inspirational, grubbering through a major from the scoreboard end goal square and then marking a Kyneton defensive miskick for another goal.

The Tigers weren’t going away, though. Scholard nailed two set shots from the flanks at the cricket nets end while Ben Weightman managed to elude South’s 200-gamer Brad Wright, fall back into an open zone and keep Kyneton in touch.

The Govans, Josh and Hamish, kept on running hard through the midfield for Kyneton. But they had to try and shark the taps from Bloods’ ruckman Kieran Strachan, the game’s dominant big man.

Three majors to Scholard including the goal-of- the-day during the third term handed the Tigers an eight-point lead at the last change.

Scholard’s major was amazing. His mid-air soccer scissors kick sailed through at the scoreboard end.

After the Tigers had skipped out to a 20-point lead with almost half the final term gone Leroy Miller stamped his authority on the game. Three big shots were all on line and absolutely crucial. First of all Miller tied up the game at 12.8 apiece. 

Then his third for the quarter handed South the lead as time ran out for the Tigers.

South coach Brady Childs said in the game’s lead-up he’d emphasised ‘concentration’ to his players.

“I kept harping on about manning up, winning each contest and being accountable and for the forwards to play in front.

“I believed if our concentration was there and we focused on those basics then the scoreboard would take care of itself,” Childs said.

After next week’s general bye, the Bloods return to the Queen Elizabeth Oval to play old rival Sandhurst.

The fifth-placed Tigers face their most important game of the season, an away clash with sixth-placed Castlemaine. The winner will hold a crucial one-game advantage in the battle for fifth spot.