UNDEFEATED Sandhurst continued on its winning ways on Saturday, beating Kyneton by 43 points in their Bendigo Football League clash.
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The ladder-leading Dragons have played an entertaining brand of free-flowing football this year, but it was back to basics in the trying conditions at the Kyneton Showgrounds as they won 12.11 (83) to 5.10 (40).
"In those sort of conditions we played in, you can be really vulnerable, but we got out of it OK today," Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick said.
"The boys were really disciplined today and played to the game plan. We kept it fairly simple... if the ball was there, we just soccered it forward and created pressure in our forward half.
"They weren't conditions we were accustomed to, but it just rounds it off nicely that the guys can apply the variations you need in those sort of conditions."
The Dragons extended their lead at every break from seven points at quarter-time to 25 at half-time and 39 at three quarter-time, before the final margin of 43 in what was their 10th consecutive win over Kyneton.
The best players for the Dragons were led by wingman Alex Wharton and ruckman Tim Martin, who again did his back-to-back Michelsen Medal chances no harm.
"Wharto and Marto were both really good all day and then there was a nice even spread of contributors behind them," Fitzpatrick said.
"There's no frills about Wharto in the way he plays, but he just keeps getting to the contest. He kicked a couple of goals and created opportunities for others. You wouldn't have thought conditions like today would suit a guy of his build, but he stood up really well."
Joel Wharton, Nick Stagg and captain Blair Holmes were others named in the best for the Dragons.
The 43-point loss - coupled with Kangaroo Flat's two-point win over Castlemaine - was a blow to Kyneton's hopes of a fairtytale finals appearance in its return senior season, with the 4-7 Tigers now two games outside the top five.
The Tigers - who have now lost three in a row - named Jake Hyland, who has had a consistent past month, Kane Ransted, ruckman Joel Stevenson and onballer Ryan Carafa among their best players.