STRATHFIELDSAYE booted the highest score against Golden Square for nine years and in doing replaced the Bulldogs at the top of the BFNL ladder after round seven on Saturday.

The Bulldogs’ much-vaunted capacity to strangle their opposition’s scoring eluded them at Wade Street as Strathfieldsaye stormed to a comprehensive 66-point victory – 20.14 (134) to 10.8 (68).

The Storm’s tally of 134 was the most Golden Square has conceded in its past 189 games since South Bendigo kicked 147 against it in round three of the 2009 season.

Both sides had gone into the tussle with 5-1 records, but it was the reigning premier Storm that proved a class above – albeit after a shaky start.

Inside the opening seven minutes the Bulldogs had kicked the first three goals of the game through Jake Thrum, Hamish Morcom and Dylan Johnstone to race to an early advantage.

However, the Bulldogs’ ascendancy was short-lived as the Storm wasted no time in not only reeling in the early 18-point deficit, but turning it into a 15-point advantage by quarter-time on the back of five unanswered goals as they led 5.4 to 3.1.

The Bulldogs wouldn’t get any closer than 19 points for the remainder of the match.

The Storm played with a hard-edge and swamped the Bulldogs with their pressure and tackling intensity, which was epitomised during the second quarter when bullocking Square captain Jack Geary tried to burst his way clear from a stoppage, but was going nowhere and driven into the ground once in the grasp of Jake Moorhead.

The standout player on the ground was Storm midfielder Josh Formosa – cliches such as “leather poisoning”, “had the ball on a string” and “brought his own footy” could all be used to sum up his scintillating first half in particular.

But not only was he a prolific ball-winner, Formosa was also impactful inside 50. He kicked the Storm’s first two goals of the game, and later in the second term, produced one of the highlights of the match with a soccer out of mid-air for his third. 

Also outstanding for the Storm was Shannon Geary, who was a controlling influence across half-back and a key component of a defensive unit that was superb.

Down the other end class forward Lachlan Sharp – who was opposed by Square’s Will Lee – had another fruitful day in front of goal.

The Storm spearhead finished with a haul of eight goals – five of which came in a 13-minute burst in the third quarter as Sharp feasted on the dominance of his midfield group.

Sharp was among nine goalkickers for the Storm that included Bryce Curnow slotting three in his first senior game of the season.

The Storm’s return of 20 goals featured two lots of seven unanswered goals, both of which were ended when Adam Baird kicked majors for the Bulldogs, who suffered a blow 15 minutes into the game when Nathan Holt landed awkwardly in a marking contest and was stretchered off with a knee injury.