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FOR the second time this season Bears Lagoon-Serpentine has pipped Calivil United by less than a kick in the Loddon Valley league.
In a decisive result for their finals aspirations, the Bears edged out the Demons by three points at Calivil, 13.10 (88) to 12.13 (85).
Saturday's thrilling win, coupled with Inglewood's heavy loss, now gives the Bears a two-game buffer inside the top five with seven rounds left to play.
Bears Lagoon-Serpentine and Calivil United have played two thrillers this season, with Saturday's three-point result following the four points the Bears beat the Demons by in round two.
The game was nip and tuck throughout, with the biggest margin that separated the two sides at any of the breaks the eight points the Bears led by at quarter-time.
"Calivil was up and about today and to be honest, we were lucky to get away with the win," Bears coach Justin Laird said.
"We were flat for a lot of the day and only played patches in each quarter, so we were pretty fortunate to get the win.
We were flat for a lot of the day and only played patches in each quarter, so we were pretty fortunate to get the win
- Justin Laird - Bears coach
"It's a game we really needed to win and we're pleased we did, but I wasn't overly impressed with the performance... there's always next week to improve."
Saturday was the third tight contest in a row the Bears have been involved in having lost to Mitiamo by seven points and beaten Maiden Gully YCW by six points in the previous fortnight.
Reigning best and fairest Darcy Poulter made a welcome return for the Bears in his first game since breaking his arm in round one.
Midfielder Poulter had an immediate impact to be the Bears' best player.
"Darcy is really pivotal to the way we want to play and it was great to have him back today," Laird said.
Full-forward Andrew Gladman booted six goals for the Bears, while James Bailey, who was also one of the best, and Josh Taig chipped in with two each.
The three-point defeat was another near-miss for the Demons, whose 2-8 record includes four losses by 14 points or less.
"Five minutes before half-time we were three goals up and they then kicked three quick goals to level up with us," Demons coach Jack Daley said.
"It happened again after half-time and, unfortunately, we couldn't manufacture that last goal we needed to get over the line.
"To be on the end of another close loss is obviously frustrating... we had Brock Rogers (ribs) go down, but the boys kept working hard all day and just fell short."
Phil Ryan, who has been the Demons' most consistent player this season, was again pivotal playing midfield, behind the ball and also pushed forward to kick three goals.
Ruckman Corey Pearse also worked hard and continues to improve.
MAIDEN GULLY YCW v INGLEWOOD
Maiden Gully YCW orchestrated a 150-point turnaround from its first meeting with Inglewood earlier in the season.
That day back in round two the up-and-about Blues won by 62 points
But it was a vastly different story in Saturday's return bout as the Eagles demolished the Blues by 88 points, winning 25.7 (157) to 10.9 (69) at Maiden Gully.
The Eagles had gone into Saturday averaging just 54 points a game, but already had 87 points on the board at half-time as they led by 48 points, 14.3 to 6.3.
Maiden Gully YCW's accurate return of 25.6 for the match featured 6.2 in the first quarter, 8.1 in the second, 5.1 in the third and 6.2 in the fourth, with key forward Jason Butty particularly impressive with nine goals.
"JB just doesn't miss... he's kicked nine today and I don't think he would have missed a set-shot," Eagles' coach Wayne Mitrovic said.
The Eagles had too many forward options for the Blues to contain.
As well as Butty's nine goals, the Eagles also had mid-season signing Matt Gilmore kick four in his first game for the club, while Mitrovic slotted three and Brayden Aitken, another recent acquisition, also kicked three.
Corey Walsh who played in a back pocket was named the best for the Eagles.
"Corey had been crook during the week, but put his hand up to play with a few out and he was outstanding with his intercept marking and attack on the footy," Mitrovic said.
The Eagles had to switch Ryan Strauch from centre half-back to take on the rucking duties in the absence of both captain Chris Howgate and Clint Angove.
The defeat was the Blues' sixth in a row and over the past two weeks they have lost to teams they comfortably beat earlier in the season in the Eagles and Calivil United as their finals dream took another hit.
Charlie Ingham kicked three goals for the Blues and was named best.
BRIDGEWATER v MARONG
Another week... another big haul of goals for Marong full-forward Brandyn Grenfell.
For the fourth time in his 10 games this season Grenfell booted a double-figure bag of goals.
This time it was 10 in the visiting Panthers' 81-point win over Bridgewater, 17.15 (117) to 5.6 (36).
Grenfell now has 81 goals for the season, including 62 in his past six games.
The Panthers were coached by assistant Kain Robins with Linton Jacobs unavailable due to COVID protocols.
"Linno has got the boys really well drilled, so I didn't have to say too much, I just reiterated his message and the boys played really well," Robins said.
"We got challenged in the first quarter, but after that I felt we controlled the game and moved the ball well into the big fella up forward."
While Grenfell was again a telling presence in the game, Ryley Taylor's ripping midfield season for the Panthers continued.
"We've got some really good young kids and Ryley has been a standout all year coming back to the club," Robins said.
"He takes a good grab, uses the ball well and finished off well with a couple of goals."
Andrew Collins kicked four of Bridgewater's five goals, with the Mean Machine's better players led by on-baller Callum Prest.
"I think Marong is the yardstick by a long way, but I don't think the scoreboard did the game justice," Bridgewater coach Rick Ladson said.
"We fell short when we were going forward, whereas they were able to capitalise and were really classy."
MITIAMO v NEWBRIDGE
Mitiamo consolidated its place in the top three with its biggest win of the season, beating Newbridge by 87 points, 16.13 (109) to 3.4 (22), at home.
The Superoos were well on the way to victory at half-time when they led by 53 points, 9.8 to 1.3.
Standouts for the Superoos included full-back Daniel Mowat, forward Jay Reynolds (three goals) and Tom Grant (four goals).
There was also a blast from the past, with 2009 premiership player Guy Orton returning to the club for a past players day and pulling on the boots again for the Superoos.
"We had five out from last week, so it was good to get on top early and keep it going all day," Mitiamo coach Marcus McKern said.
"Newbridge is a young and developing group that worked hard, but from our end it was pleasing to get a good win."
The Maroons, who dropped to the bottom of the ladder with the loss, were rusty early in what was their first game in 21 days after consecutive weeks off.
"It was our first game for three weeks and that showed in the way we started the game, but I felt we showed a bit in the second half, which is a positive," coach Luke Freeman said.
"But we just couldn't afford to start the way we did against a quality side."
Caleb Argus playing midfield and defence and wingman Jack Clark both battled valiantly to be among the best for the Maroons.
LVFNL ROUND 11 SCOREBOARD
SENIORS
Marong Seniors 2.2 7.5 10.13 17.15 (117)
Bridgewater Seniors 1.1 2.2 3.6 5.6 (36)
GOALS: Marong Seniors: B.Grenfell 10, R.Taylor 2, A.Ward 2, N.Devanny 1, K.Robins 1, C.Gregg 1; Bridgewater Seniors: A.Collins 4, J.Ozanne 1
BEST: Marong Seniors: B.Grenfell, R.Taylor, C.Fleming, J.McCaig, J.Hynes, N.Devanny; Bridgewater Seniors: C.Prest, J.Ellings, H.Donegan, J.Symons, B.Stepien, J.Naughton
Mitiamo Seniors 5.3 9.8 11.10 16.13 (109)
Newbridge Seniors 1.2 1.3 2.4 3.4 (22)
GOALS: Mitiamo Seniors: T.Grant 4, J.reynolds 3, D.Mowat 2, R.Wellington 2, R.Turner 2, M.Grant 1, J.Falls 1, M.I'Anson 1; Newbridge Seniors: L.Hoskin 1, J.Murray 1, C.Dixon 1
BEST: Mitiamo Seniors: D.Mowat, J.reynolds, J.Falls, T.Grant, J.Wiegard, R.Turner; Newbridge Seniors: C.Argus, J.Anderson, J.Clark, C.Sanders, B.Etherington, R.Burt
MGYCW Seniors 6.2 14.3 19.4 25.6 (157)
Inglewood Seniors 4.2 6.3 7.8 10.8 (69)
GOALS: MGYCW Seniors: J.Butty 9, M.Gilmore 4, B.Aitken 3, W.Mitrovic 3, J.Dwyer 2, J.Magnusson 1, J.Baum 1, D.Wust 1, J.Worsley 1; Inglewood Seniors: C.Ingham 3, C.McGaw 2, J.Wendels 1, A.Lowe 1, G.Nevins 1, J.McClelland 1, C.Morone 1
BEST: MGYCW Seniors: C.Walsh, J.Lampi, J.Butty, D.Wust, B.Aitken, J.Dwyer; Inglewood Seniors: C.Ingham, A.Lowe, R.Johnson, T.Kennedy, C.Love, C.McGaw
B/L Serpentine Seniors 2.3 5.5 10.5 13.10 (88)
Calivil United Seniors 1.1 5.4 9.9 12.13 (85)
GOALS: B/L Serpentine Seniors: A.Gladman 6, J.Taig 2, J.Bailey 2, K.Paxton 1, R.Maher 1, H.Gadsden 1; Calivil United Seniors: J.Greenwood 3, P.Ryan 3, P.Hansford 1, J.Lea 1, M.Maxey 1, B.Baker 1, J.Burns 1, J.Lawry 1
BEST: B/L Serpentine Seniors: D.Poulter, J.Bailey, Z.Stone, A.Gladman, J.Walsh, J.Hancock; Calivil United Seniors: P.Ryan, C.Pearse, B.Richards, M.Maxey, B.Baker, J.Lawry
RESERVES
B/L Serpentine Reserves 3.3 7.6 10.6 12.8 (80)
Calivil United Reserves 1.1 1.2 2.2 3.3 (21)
GOALS: B/L Serpentine Reserves: T.Strauch 4, B.Sheahan 3, J.Gladman 3, A.Edwards 2; Calivil United Reserves: T.Watson 1, C.Henson 1, S.Fawcett 1
BEST: B/L Serpentine Reserves: B.Sheahan, A.Edwards, M.Addlem, H.Catto, M.Quinn, J.Wood; Calivil United Reserves: C.Smith, J.Medina, L.Catto, D.Capell, C.Henson, M.Antoine
MGYCW Reserves 1.6 2.8 6.8 9.12 (66)
Inglewood Reserves 2.0 3.2 3.5 4.6 (30)
GOALS: MGYCW Reserves: W.Anderson 2, J.Doolan 2, J.Magnusson 1, A.Cazar 1, B.Watterston 1, J.Baum 1, T.Hudson 1; Inglewood Reserves: L.Else 1, S.Rice 1, Z.Schmidt 1, M.Hammond 1
BEST: MGYCW Reserves: W.Noden, J.Magnusson, W.Anderson, B.Watterston, J.Doolan, K.Wicks; Inglewood Reserves: E.Wright, T.Stevenson, S.Hoskin, J.Smith, T.Sawers
Marong Reserves 3.4 4.6 7.8 8.10 (58)
Bridgewater Reserves 0.2 1.3 3.4 3.6 (24)
GOALS: Marong Reserves: D.Blume 5, C.Stacey 2, T.Wilson 1; Bridgewater Reserves: J.Campbell 2, D.Maher 1
BEST: Marong Reserves: F.Millar, R.Gretgrix, T.Wilson, H.Baker, F.Stewart, D.Blume; Bridgewater Reserves: M.Collins, D.Maher, J.McKinley, B.Derrick, J.Higgins, J.Wild
Newbridge Reserves 4.4 8.8 10.14 14.14 (98)
Mitiamo Reserves 0.2 1.2 3.2 5.3 (33)
GOALS: Newbridge Reserves: A.Moore 4, T.Hobson 3, J.Keel 2, N.Dempster 1, J.Dawkins 1, J.HARKNESS 1, C.Dixon 1, B.Pearce 1; Mitiamo Reserves: A.Manton 2, A.Mckean 1, K.Pentreath 1, J.Knight 1
BEST: Newbridge Reserves: J.Teasdale, T.Hobson, B.Pearce, K.bertuch, A.Moore, M.Pitto; Mitiamo Reserves: A.Mckean, C.Pearson, J.Knight, Z.Tuohey, C.Tuohey, W.Fallon
UNDER-18S
Marong U18 Boys 2.7 5.8 8.11 15.15 (105)
Bridgewater U18 Boys 0.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 (12)
GOALS: Marong U18 Boys: K.Baldwin 6, J.Collins 2, K.McCaig 2, M.Worme 2, S.Taylor 2, N.McCaig 1; Bridgewater U18 Boys: J.Langtree 1, T.Naughton 1
BEST: Marong U18 Boys: K.Terrill, N.McCaig, L.Hale, K.Baldwin, B.Cruise, K.McCaig; Bridgewater U18 Boys: A.Gauci, J.Langtree, H.Pidoto, R.Dole, L.Wallace, O.Clapp.
NETBALL:
A GRADE: Mitiamo 65 def Newbridge 44, Calivil United 65 def BL-Serpentine 26, Marong 54 def Bridgewater 34.
B GRADE: Bridgewater 42 def Marong 38, Newbridge 67 def Mitiamo 33, Calivil United 50 def BL-Serpentine 30, Maiden Gully YCW 63 def Inglewood 33.
C GRADE: Maiden Gully YCW 66 def Inglewood 29, BL-Serpentine 49 def Calivil United 40, Marong 34 def Bridgewater 31, Newbridge 45 def Mitiamo 27.
C RESERVE: Marong 56 def Bridgewater 34, Newbridge 46 def Mitiamo 25, Calivil United 38 def BL-Serpentine 33, Maiden Gully YCW 105 def Inglewood 6.
17-UNDER: Newbridge 66 def Mitiamo 15, Bridgewater 56 def Marong 35, Calivil United 37 def BL-Serpentine 33.
15-UNDER: Calivil United 38 def BL-Serpentine 24, Marong 51 def Bridgewater 25, Maiden Gully YCW 67 def Inglewood 26.
13-UNDER: Inglewood 16 def Maiden Gully YCW 9, Marong 35 def Bridgewater 7, BL-Serpentine 23 def Calivil United 16.
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