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BRIDGEWATER returned to the Loddon Valley league winner's list with a 52-point victory over arch-rival Newbridge on Saturday.
Coming off an upset loss to Calivil United in its previous game, the Mean Machine hit back to prevail 17.15 (117) to 10.5 (65) at Newbridge.
"There's still plenty to work on, but it was a good win by the boys," Bridgewater coach Rick Ladson said.
"We played very poorly against Calivil in our last game and the boys had the mindset today of let's get back on the winner's list and I was really pleased with their attitude and effort."
The Mean Machine got 13 goals out of their two key targets inside 50, with Josh Martyn bagging seven and Andrew Collins booting six, with the pair combining to outscore the Maroons.
"Andrew is still the ultimate professional in the way he trains and looks after himself and Josh has come a long way with his leadership and they got reward for effort today," Ladson said.
"Lachlan Allison (two goals) is doing a lot of hard work in our forward line, and while he's not kicking bulk goals, he's definitely helping Josh and Andrew get on the end of a few."
Defender Luke Harrison played a brilliant intercepting game across half-back to be the best for Bridgewater.
"Luke is a great leader of the club and was exceptional in the back half today and really set the standard for us," Ladson said.
The Mean Machine have an eye injury concern to versatile recruit Jack Ozanne out of the game.
The Maroons were forced to play catch-up football after the Mean Machine opened a 16-point lead at quarter-time, 4.4 to 2.0.
"I thought our intensity levels were back up today, but unfortunately, they blew it open in the last quarter," Newbridge coach Luke Freeman said.
"We were within four goals at three quarter-time and it was still game-on, but we couldn't go with them in the last quarter."
Chris Dixon worked hard in the forward line to kick five of Newbridge's 10 goals, while midfielder Logan Dixon was named best for the Maroons.
"Logan is one of those players who just cracks in every week... he's a good chaser and tackler and worked hard again today," Freeman said.
MARONG v BEARS LAGOON-SERPENTINE
For the first time since joining the Loddon Valley league in 1983 Marong has won three games in a row by triple-figures.
Coming off big wins over Inglewood and Newbridge by margins of 131 and 157 points the previous fortnight, the Panthers produced another dominant performance to beat Bears Lagoon-Serpentine by 100 points.
The Panthers were already 62 points up at half-time on the way to their 26.17 (173) to 12.1 (73) victory at Marong.
Gun forward Brandyn Grenfell - country Victoria's leading goalkicker - had another big day in attack with a haul of eight to take his season tally to 52.
"We started the game really well and I thought our ball movement and skills were on, which gave us some good looks inside 50 and we made the most of them, so that's probably what stood out for us," Marong coach Linton Jacobs said.
"Defensively we were probably a bit off and to Serp's credit, they were really hard at the contest and took it up to us physically."
The Panthers - who had a spread of 11 goalkickers - have an injury concern out of the game with forward Adrian Pappin (ankle) set to face a stint on the sidelines.
"He has had X-rays already and there's no break, but we'll be missing him for probably four to six weeks at this stage," Jacobs said.
Experienced midfielder Corey Gregg, who kicked three goals, played his best game of the season for Marong, while youngsters Ryley Taylor and Jimmy Gadsden continue to impress.
Although it was a 100-point blowout, the Bears did win the third quarter when they outscored the Panthers 4.0 to 3.4.
Charlie Gadsden was the best for the Bears, whose leading goalkicker was veteran Andrew Gladman (four).
MAIDEN GULLY YCW v MITIAMO
Mitiamo held off a fast-finishing Maiden Gully YCW to win by 11 points.
It looked set to be a comfortable win for the Superoos when they led by 47 points at three quarter-time, 12.7 to 4.8.
But after kicking just four goals in the first three quarters, the Eagles slammed on seven in the final term before going down 13.9 (87) to 11.10 (76) at Maiden Gully.
"The third quarter was really disappointing for us, but to respond the way we did in the last, the boys showed a fair bit," said Eagles' coach Wayne Mitrovic, who was sidelined with a hamstring.
"They took control in the third quarter out of the middle and winning the clearances and that's where they got away from us."
The Superoos had been 12 points up, 5.5 to 3.5, after a low-scoring first half before piling on seven goals to one in the third term to stamp their authority.
"To Maiden Gully's credit, they kept coming and we had to tough it out in that last quarter to bank another four points, which is what we need to keep doing," Mitiamo coach Marcus McKern said.
Gun midfielder Doug Thomas, who kicked four goals, suffered a hamstring strain for the Superoos, whose best were led by on-baller Ross Turner, Harry McCormick in defence and skipper Jarryd Wiegard, while forward Ryan Wellington bagged five goals.
Maiden Gully YCW captain Chris Howgate played the game as a permanent forward instead of his usual role in the ruck and kicked three goals for the Eagles, whose best was recruit Jack Gallaher.
PYRAMID HILL v CALIVIL UNITED
Pyramid Hill produced a stifling defensive performance against Calivil United.
The Bulldogs only conceded one goal to the Demons - kicked in the last quarter - in their 12.11 (83) to 1.2 (8) win at home to remain unbeaten.
After their wayward 5.22 against Mitiamo the previous week, the Bulldogs were again off-target in the first half kicking 5.8, but straightened up in the second when they added 7.3, with midfielder Ryley Dickens continuing his good form to be their best player.
For the Demons, whose sole goal was kicked by Jake Lawry, their best player for the third game in a row was Phil Ryan off half-back.
"We had eight blokes out of our starting 22 today, so that didn't help and made it a hard slog for us," said Demons' coach Jack Daley, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
"But Pyramid Hill showed they are a very polished outfit; they are the best side we've played in terms of how they move the ball and are very well set-up.
"But our boys didn't give up all day and kept trying, particularly our back seven, which I thought did an unreal job under a lot of pressure."
ROUND 7 SCOREBOARD:
Pyramid Hill 2.5 5.8 7.10 12.11 (83)
Calivil United 0.1 0.2 0.2 1.2 (8)
GOALS: Pyramid Hill: S.Relouw 3, M.Cheesman 2, B.George 2, B.Micevski 2, B.Dickens 2, S.Mann 1; Calivil United: J.Lawry 1
BEST: Pyramid Hill: R.Dickens, J.Timmins, G.James, N.Catherwood, S.Gunther, E.Caburnay; Calivil United: P.Ryan, E.Ritchie, B.Richards, J.Lea, L.Brook, N.McPherson
Bridgewater 4.4 7.6 12.10 17.15 (117)
Newbridge 2.0 5.3 9.4 10.5 (65)
GOALS: Bridgewater: J.Martyn 7, A.Collins 6, L.Allison 2, T.Hywood 1, H.McKinley 1; Newbridge: C.Dixon 5, T.Hobson 2, T.McLeod 1, H.Whittle 1, B.Etherington 1
BEST: Bridgewater: L.Harrison, J.Symons, A.Collins, Z.Hoiles, E.Pavlich, L.Allison; Newbridge: L.Dixon, H.Whittle, C.Dixon, T.McLeod, J.Anderson, T.Hobson
Mitiamo 5.1 5.5 12.7 13.9 (87)
MGYCW 2.2 3.5 4.8 11.10 (76)
GOALS: Mitiamo: D.Thomas 4, L.Dale 2, B.Bisset 1, T.Rogers 1; MGYCW: C.Howgate 3, N.Murley 2, K.Schepers 1, C.Angove 1, J.Dwyer 1, J.Magnusson 1, J.Gallaher 1, G.Brown 1
BEST: Mitiamo: R.Turner, H.McCormick, J.Wiegard, T.Rogers, B.Baines, R.Wellington; MGYCW: J.Gallaher, N.Murley, C.Hale, H.McCartney, J.Dwyer, D.Baldwin
Marong 9.2 15.8 18.12 26.17 (173)
B/L Serpentine 3.0 6.0 10.0 12.1 (73)
GOALS: Marong: B.Grenfell 8, N.Devanny 4, C.Gregg 3, C.Jacobs 2, K.Manley 2, B.Gregg 2, L.Frankel 1, T.Thach 1, R.Taylor 1, J.McCaig 1, J.Hynes 1; B/L Serpentine: A.Gladman 4, J.Podosky 2, J.Laird 2, J.Walsh 1, C.Gadsden 1, R.Maher 1, J.Taig 1
BEST: Marong: C.Gregg, R.Taylor, J.Gadsden, B.Gregg, J.McCaig, B.Grenfell; B/L Serpentine: C.Gadsden, K.Paxton, J.Laird, J.Walsh, H.Gadsden, R.Maher.
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