READ MORE - SATURDAY SCOREBOARD - June 29, 2019
JUST two senior teams across the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central leagues kicked more than 100 points as wild weather wreaked havoc in games on Saturday.
The Loddon Valley clash between Mitiamo and Newbridge had to be stopped for 25 minutes during the second quarter for safety reasons due to lightning.
And the start of the second half in the Heathcote District match between Elmore and Huntly was delayed also because of lightning.
With games across the region played in conditions that were cold, windy and in heavy rain that turned grounds into bogheaps, goals were hard to come by.
Only Sea Lake Nandaly (139) and Eaglehawk (105) kicked scores above 100.
The average winning score across the four leagues was just 73, while 12 teams - Kangaroo Flat (3), Castlemaine (3), Kyneton (0), Sandhurst (3), Marong (3), Calivil United (3), Wedderburn (3), St Arnaud (3), Boort (1) and the reigning premier trio of Leitchville-Gunbower (3), Newbridge (0) and Wycheproof-Narraport (2) - were kept to less than four goals.
Strathfieldsaye kicked just 5.13 (43) to beat Sandhurst by 22 points at Tannery Lane in what was the Bendigo league's lowest winning score since 2006.
For the second week in a row Gisborne held its opposition to just one behind as it beat arch-rival Kyneton 9.15 (69) to 0.1 (1).
However, the Tigers weren't the only team held goal-less across the AFLCV region as Newbridge was beaten 9.14 (68) to 0.4 (4) by Mitiamo.
Mitiamo co-coach Tyrone Downie said the umpires made the right call in halting the game during the second quarter due to lightning flashes.
"We went back out just after quarter-time, but the conditions started to deteriorate with the lightning and the umpires made the right call to send us off," Downie said.
"We sat it out for about 25 minutes and went back on once the conditions improved... the lightning stopped, but it was still very windy and wet."
Meanwhile, lightning brought an early end to two BFNL A Grade netball matches.
The clash between Strathfieldsaye and Sandhurst was called off in the third quarter with the Dragons leading 29-21. Given it was after half-time Sandhurst was awarded the victory.
And South Bendigo and Eaglehawk were tied 24-24 at the QEO when play was abandoned, leaving the two sides to again split the points like they did in round two.
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