LVFL the kings of inter-league

Updated November 7 2012 - 2:14am, first published May 23 2010 - 11:53am

LODDON Valley made a winning return to inter-league football with a 23-point victory over Ovens and King at Benalla on Saturday.In its first inter-league match since 2003, Loddon Valley prevailed 17.9 (111) to 13.10 (88).The win was spearheaded by a nine-goal haul from Sam Mildren.Ovens and King led by four points at quarter-time, 4.3 to 3.5, before Loddon Valley took control of the contest in the second term.Loddon Valley produced a scintillating quarter of footy in the second term when it piled on 9.4 to Ovens and King’s 3.2 to open up a 32-point lead at half-time, 12.7 to 7.5.“It was a close contest in the first quarter after we missed a few easy opportunities,” Loddon Valley coach Bill Grant said.“But in the second quarter we kicked nine goals to get ourselves into a strong position.“Our midfield started to get on top around the ground in that second quarter.“Our midfielders pushed down into the backline and then ran really hard on the rebound and applied heaps of pressure to the Ovens and King ball-carriers.“And when we had possession we used the ball well going into the forward line.”Ovens and King narrowly cut into the lead in the third quarter, reducing Loddon Valley’s advantage to 25 points at three quarter-time, 14.8 to 10.7.Ovens and King closed to within two goals in the last term, but Loddon Valley answered the challenge to win by 23 points.Mildren was clearly the standout player on the ground with his nine goals, while full-forward Ryan Haythorpe kicked four to be Loddon Valley’s two multiple goalkickers.“Sam was great for us all day. He took some really nice marks for us in the last quarter when it was really needed,” Grant said.“Our intensity dropped off halfway through the third quarter, which allowed Ovens and King to come back at us.“Ovens and King got within a couple of goals of us in the last quarter, before the boys really dug deep in the last 10 minutes and kicked a couple of late goals.“It’s a terrific result for the league - it was a great team effort by all 24 players.“Ovens and King have 14 teams in their competition, so they have a much bigger base to pick players from, so we were very pleased to get a win, especially over there.”Mitiamo’s Luke Mitchell injured his foot in the second quarter, but Grant says he will be right to play against Bridgewater in this Saturday’s round seven blockbuster.Along with Mildren, other players in the best for Loddon Valley were midfielders Guy Orton, who captained the side, Glen Richardson, Lee Franklin and Tom Grant, ruckman John Almond and key defender Steve Turner, who was vice-captain.Meanwhile, in the under-21 game, Loddon Valley was defeated by three points.Loddon Valley had trailed by 20 points at three quarter-time of the low-scoring game, 5.8 to 2.6, but stormed home in the last quarter.However, Ovens and King, which didn’t kick a goal in the last term, held on to win 5.11 (41) to 5.8 (38).Tom Gallagher, Adam Parry, Ben Greene and Luke Scoble were Loddon Valley’s best.On the netball court Ovens and King won the open game by two, 41-39, with scores having earlier been 18-18 at half-time.Wing attack and centre Jarileey Higgs was Loddon Valley’s best. In the 17-and-under, Ovens and King won 49-29, with defender Amelia Ludeman Loddon Valley’s best player.

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