We spoke the other week about what had become a growing trend of blowout matches in recent rounds, but Saturday was a beauty, with three of the games decided by single-figure margins.

It was a super game at the QEO between Sandhurst and Golden Square and as good a home and away atmosphere at the ground as I can recall.

It was a pressure-packed contest from start to finish, with the Dragons finishing nine points in front.

The Dragons had barely been challenged in their first seven games - if at all - but they had to really dig deep to get over the effort from Golden Square.

Grinding wins like Saturday are only going to hold the Dragons in good stead come the business end of the season, while Golden Square lost no friends with its competitive showing.

On another note, I can't recall watching many games of footy where one side has had 14 more scoring shots than the other, yet the game is still up for grabs in the final couple of minutes.

The Dragons have been able to get away with some ordinary kicking at goal throughout the season, but it almost came back to bite them on Saturday with their score of 12.17 (89) to Square's 13.2 (80).

AB: Cracking game between two quality sides.

Saturday's game showed that you have to play four quarters of very good football to beat the Dragons.

Golden Square was very good for much of the day, but when Sandhurst produced bursts of its best footy there looked to be a class difference.

Just as impressive as the on-field battle was the crowd.

For a home and away game the size of the crowd was great and the atmosphere generated by both groups of supporters was not something we generally experience until September.

LW: The supporters at Dower Park were treated to an entertaining spectacle between Kangaroo Flat and Kyneton. There were 37 goals kicked in that match, with the Roos' score of 123 not enough to win the game.

Here's a little stat for you - the Roos' 123 was higher than 26 of the 40 winning scores kicked in the BFL so far.

The Tigers won by three points, and who knows just how telling those three points may prove later in the season in the battle for the last spot in the finals.

Kyneton is now at 4-4, and considering the Tigers started the year 0-3, have worked their way back into the season strongly, with their next assignment the winless Maryborough.

Although, Maryborough showed against Eaglehawk that a win isn't far around the corner for the Magpies.

It looked for much of the day at Canterbury Park that it may have been another Maryborough upset win over Eaglehawk that has been a regular occurrence in recent years.

AB: Eaglehawk dodged a very large bullet with that win.

A loss to Maryborough would have put the Hawks behind the eight-ball to make the five.

Hats off to Jamie Bond and Glen Chadwick for the job they've done with Maryborough. Considering what happened in the off-season, the Magpies have been very competitive.

I'd love to see them win a game or two by the end of the home and away season.

The other Magpies - Castlemaine - have been less competitive than Maryborough in a large percentage of their games, but now have two wins on the board after defeating South Bendigo.

Fantastic result for Castlemaine, but a real body blow for South Bendigo.

LW: The Magpies ended a string of 16 losses in a row against the Bloods dating back to 2005, and despite copping some big hammerings this season, are only two games outside the top five.

Speaking of five, that's how many games Strathfieldsaye has won in a row, and how many goals Sam Mildren kicked in his return game against Gisborne.

How long until the Storm play Sandhurst again?

​