The Bulls brought an end to Boort’s five-game winning streak with a hard-fought 7.14 (56) to 8.5 (53) win.

The Bulls’ gripping win followed a one-point loss to Donald a week earlier, while the Magpies have now been involved in three games in a row decided by single-figure margins, having won their previous two by just four and seven points.

Had the Bulls been beaten they would have only had themselves to blame due to their inaccurate kicking, with the result one of the rare games where the losing team kicked more goals than the winners.

The Bulls’ 7.14 included a wasteful 2.8 in the second quarter.

Charlie Hallam, Lachlan Foott and Nathan Gordon (two goals) played well for the Bulls.

Boort’s Richard Tibbett was the game’s leading goalkicker with four, with the Magpies’ better players led by Kyle Manley, Ben Gregg (two goals) and Jack Smith.

• Charlton pulled off an upset to win its second game at the expense of Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.

The Navies only kicked two goals in the second half, but they had done the damage in the first when they led by 33 points, 10.3 to 4.6.

The Tigers lifted in the second half, but the Navies won 12.7 (79) to 8.13 (61).

The influence of lively forward Matt Giri was telling in the result as he kicked six of the Navies’ 12 goals, while coach Aaron Walklate played a fine leader’s game, with Mark Vigus (two goals) and Josh McKee (two goals) also key contributors for the reigning premiers.

The Tigers – who are yet to beat the Navies in three meetings since joining the NCFL – had good players in Ryan O’Sullivan, who has been in their best in every game, Luke Martin and Joseph Summerhayes.

• Wycheproof-Narraport recorded the biggest win in the North Central league since 2015, thrashing Wedderburn by 142 points.

Fired up after their first loss of the season to Boort the previous week, the Demons put the Redbacks to the sword with their 27.20 (182) to 5.10 (40) hiding.

Demons’ star Corey Jones outscored the Redbacks on his own with a haul of nine goals to be one of 11 goalkickers, six of whom slotted multiples.

The Demons kicked six goals in the first quarter, six in the second, seven in the third and eight in the last.

The Redbacks, who have now lost seven in a row against the Demons, didn’t score in the last quarter.

• Donald joined Birchip-Watchem and Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers with 4-3 records with its 12-point victory over St Arnaud.

The Royals opened a 15-point lead at quarter-time and from there were able to hold the Saints at bay to record a 9.13 (67) to 7.13 (55) win at St Arnaud.

Seamus Young’s five goals were crucial to the success of the Royals, who named Darcy Harrison and Joshua Potter their best.

Daniel Hargraves (four goals) was one of the standouts for the Saints, along with Nicholas Baldwin.

With all teams having played each other once, the NCFL ladder highlights the swings and roundabouts of country football, with the bottom three teams – Charlton, Wedderburn and St Arnaud – having won the past three premierships.