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COLBINABBIN stared down a challenge from White Hills before pulling away in the final quarter to make a winning return to the field in the Heathcote District league on Saturday.
In their first game for 21 days the Grasshoppers kicked the final five goals of the match to win 11.11 (77) to 6.7 (43) at Scott Street on a day in which the league's top four teams were all victorious in round 13.
In a nutshell, the game featured an even first quarter when both sides kicked three goals apiece; and then an arm wrestle of a second term when neither side scored a goal with both defences well on top that left a half-time scoreboard more akin to that of a wet weather slog as opposed to the sunny conditions the game was played in as the Grasshoppers led 3.5 to 3.4.
After the slogfest of a first half Colbinabbin - with six inclusions from its previous game against North Bendigo - made a move early in the third quarter with what loomed as a potential gamebreaking three-goal surge in the first 13 minutes.
The Grasshoppers booted goals through Todd Clarke, Ben Southam and Jed Brain - all without White Hills getting the ball inside its forward 50 - to open up a decisive 22-point lead as they doubled the Demons' score, 6.8 to 3.4.
However, with the Grasshoppers threatening to break the game wide open, the Demons responded with a much-needed goal to Nico McKinley courtesy of a 50m penalty.
And when the Demons added two more goals, the second from a strong one-on-one contested mark by Liam Bartels, the home side had closed to within two points and took the momentum into the final quarter.
However, much like the third quarter it was the Grasshoppers who grabbed the ascendancy early in the final term and this time didn't surrender their advantage as they finished with a burst of 5.2 to 0.0 to run away with the 34-point victory and improve their record to 9-1-1.
"I thought it was a real tussle in the first half... we looked like we were coming off a bye, but after half-time we settled and kicked those three goals," Colbinabbin coach Julian Bull said.
"But we then let White Hills get back into the game halfway through the third quarter... we couldn't shut down their transition, which was disappointing.
"But it was good to see the way the boys responded in the last quarter and pulled away. It's pleasing to get the win after a couple of weeks off and get some game-time back into some blokes who have been out injured.
It's pleasing to get the win after a couple of weeks off and get some game-time back into some blokes who have been out injured
- Julian Bull - Colbinabbin coach after Saturday's win over White Hills
"We've been playing some good footy using a lot of different troops and we've just got to work on continuing to build our consistency."
One of the highlights of the game was a ripping checkside goal kicked by Colbinabbin's Joel Sacco from a stoppage in the first quarter.
James Brain, Jed Brain, Todd Clarke and Stephen Tuohey kicked two goals apiece for the Grasshoppers, whose best player was midfielder Logan Fitzgerald.
Having had a decimated backline in recent games, three defenders also featured among the Grasshoppers' best players in skipper David Price, Ben Barton and veteran Tom Hill.
The Demons - wearing their heritage blue and white guernsey - named defender Ben Bacon, who played on the dangerous James Brain, their best player, while the dynamic Bartels showed his class to boot four of White Hills' six goals.
The defeat ends a run of four games in a row against the top-four sides for the Demons, who went 0-4 through the stretch and with a 4-8 record remain one game outside the top five.
The loss followed a similar script to White Hills' defeat to the highly-regarded Mount Pleasant a fortnight earlier when scores had been level at three quarter-time before the Demons fell away in the final term.
HEATHCOTE v NORTH BENDIGO
Six goals in the second half from Hakeem Johnson helped spark North Bendigo to an eight-point win over Heathcote at Barrack Reserve.
The Bulldogs had trailed by 13 points at half-time before lifting in the second half to win 13.12 (90) to 11.16 (82).
After being held to just three goals in the first half, the Bulldogs booted seven in the third quarter to gain the ascendancy as they went from 13 points down at half-time to 13 up at the final change.
"Heathcote played some really good footy early, but we were able to get it right in the second half and get over the line," said Daniel Francis, who coached North Bendigo in the absence of the unavailable Rob Bennett.
"It was pleasing the way we were able to answer after a disappointing first half.
"We were a little bit off with our pressure around the footy in the first half and our spread from the contest wasn't quite there, but once we addressed those areas we were able to break the game open.
"And Hakeem really stood up for us in the second half kicking six goals. He worked really hard in the first half, but just didn't get the rewards on the scoreboard."
It was the third game in a row Johnson - who has had a huge impact since being cleared from Kangaroo Flat last month - has kicked six goals for the Bulldogs.
Also playing a key game for the Bulldogs was another young player in teenager Riley Pateow.
"This was about Riley's sixth game in the seniors and he did a job for us on Codie Price today playing as a defensive half-forward," Francis said.
"He was really clean around the ball and his defensive work was really pleasing.
"He really stood up for us in the second half with his ball-use and composure... for a young player still early in his career he gave us a real spark today."
For the Saints, it was a case of lamenting one that got away.
Not only had the Saints - who haven't beaten North Bendigo since 2013 - been in front at half-time, they also had more scoring shots than the Bulldogs: 27 to 25.
"It was similar to the first time we played North (10-point loss on April 2) in terms of missed opportunities," Heathcote coach Andrew Saladino said.
"There were a number of simple shots at senior level that you have to kick and we didn't take our chances, but to its credit, North Bendigo did when it went forward.
"It's a frustrating result because we feel it's one that we let slip."
The two best for the Saints were two of their marquee recruits in Braden Padmore, who booted seven goals, and experienced midfielder Shaun Harrison.
"I think it was the first time we've had both of them play together since round one," Saladino said.
"Padmore was fantastic kicking seven goals coming back from a hamstring injury and Harro, who was unavailable for most of the first half of the year, now that he's getting some continuity is showing why he's played at the top level in local footy.
"And I thought Alex McIvor presented well up forward, Jackson Jones was good in the midfield again and Bill Direen did a fantastic job playing on Dylan Klemm."
LEITCHVILLE-GUNBOWER v MOUNT PLEASANT
Mount Pleasant made it five wins in a row with a 70-point victory over Leitchville-Gunbower, but it was soured by an injury to in-form forward Mitch Bennett.
"Mitch has hurt his ankle and gone to Echuca Hospital, so we're awaiting scans to see what the outcome is," Mount Pleasant coach Darren Walsh said.
Bennett had kicked 17 goals across the previous four games for the Blues as a big presence up forward.
Despite the injury to Bennett in the first half and star forward Ben Weightman (hamstring) already among nine outs for Mount Pleasant, the Blues still kicked 17 goals in their 17.14 (116) to 7.4 (46) victory at Gunbower.
The Blues had been just 14 points up at half-time against the plucky young Bombers, before putting the foot down with 11 goals to two after the break.
"The game opened up in the second half; our midfield got on top and our backs were fantastic, so it ended up being a good win," Walsh said.
"We had Jaxson Nihill come up from the under-18s to play his first senior game and we were two down by half-time through injury."
As well as the injury to Bennett, the Blues also had Will Wallace's game end early with hamstring tightness.
Midfielder Billy Mahony and in-form ruckman Chris Down led the best players for the Blues, who had Fletcher White (four) and Zac Featherby (three) combine for seven goals.
Blake Azzopardi, Nathan McLellan and Bailey Taylor kicked two goals apiece for the Bombers.
"We were right thereabouts at half-time, but just had a bit of a lapse during the third quarter when they got some easy goals," Bombers coach Tim Bannan said.
"As disappointing as it was after half-time, we've just got to keep taking positives with the young squad we've got in.
"I thought Matt McLellan played his best game for us today. Along with Lachlan Martini down back, he's really come into his own the past few weeks and took a lot of intercept marks."
HUNTLY v LOCKINGTON-BAMAWM UNITED
Lockington-Bamawm United retained top spot on the ladder with a 46-point win over Huntly at Strauch Reserve.
The Cats had their kicking boots on in front of goal in their 17.6 (108) to 9.8 (62) victory.
"It wasn't pretty, but we got the job done," LBU coach Brodie Collins said.
"We tweaked a few things structurally, so that helped get some good looks at goal and to kick accurately was pleasing.
"We didn't transition from end-to-end as well as I would have liked, so there's plenty for us to keep working on."
Among the better players for the Cats was their half-back line of Joss Howlett, Joseph Wolfe and Charlie Hinks.
Thomas Leech continued his good form up forward with four goals to now have 21 in his past five games.
Flynn Campbell and Brandon Dimech both kicked three goals for the Hawks.
"I was really proud of the effort of the boys today and I don't think we would have lost any admirers from those who came and watched," Huntly coach Stacy Fiske said.
"We took it up to Locky the best we could; they are a quality side and really burn you on the turnover.
"If we were that half-a-second off a kick or a handball and turned it over their transition from defence to offence really hurt us on the scoreboard and they obviously kicked really straight as well.
"We played some good footy, but just can't get over the hump against those quality sides.
"Flynn Campbell was really good for us up forward coming back after a few weeks out with injury and showed he's a quality player.
"Brandon Dimech was also good up forward, Tyler Miles played well through the midfield and Harry Campbell off half-back was fantastic as well."
ROUND 13 SCOREBOARD:
Mount Pleasant Seniors 5.3 6.9 13.11 17.14 (116)
Leitchville Gunbower Seniors 2.0 5.1 5.2 7.4 (46)
GOALS: Mount Pleasant Seniors: F.White 4, Z.Featherby 3, Z.Keighran 2, J.Mackenzie 1, J.Nihill 1, L.Marchesi 1, J.Tuohey 1, Z.Murrell 1, C.Down 1, J.Teasdale 1, M.Bennett 1; Leitchville Gunbower Seniors: B.Taylor 2, N.McLellan 2, B.Azzopardi 2, T.Guerra 1
BEST: Mount Pleasant Seniors: B.Mahony, C.Down, S.Greene, Z.Murrell, P.O'Brien, J.Tuohey; Leitchville Gunbower Seniors: J.Warde, B.Azzopardi, M.McLellan, H.Bussey, M.Candy, O.Smartt
Lockington Bamawm United Seniors 5.3 9.3 11.5 17.6 (108)
Huntly Seniors 2.2 4.4 5.7 9.8 (62)
GOALS: Lockington Bamawm United Seniors: T.Leech 4, A.McMahon 2, T.Phillips 2, R.Woodland 2, B.Stone 1, M.Laursen 1, N.Bacon 1, M.Angove 1, B.Collins 1, L.Atherton 1, J.Bacon 1; Huntly Seniors: B.Dimech 3, F.Campbell 3, T.Mercadante 2, L.Gray 1
BEST: Lockington Bamawm United Seniors: J.Howlett, R.Woodland, N.Bacon, J.Wolfe, C.Hinks, T.Leech; Huntly Seniors: H.Campbell, M.Christensen, J.Cordy, F.Campbell, J.Cowling, S.Fiske
Colbinabbin Seniors 3.2 3.5 6.9 11.11 (77)
White Hills Seniors 3.1 3.4 6.7 6.7 (43)
GOALS: Colbinabbin Seniors: T.Clarke 2, S.Tuohey 2, J.Brain 2, J.Brain 2, A.Van Ruiswyk 1, J.Sacco 1, B.Southam 1; White Hills Seniors: L.Bartels 4, G.Bowles 1, N.McKinley 1
BEST: Colbinabbin Seniors: L.Fitzgerald, D.Price, T.Clarke, S.Tuohey, B.Barton, T.Hill; White Hills Seniors: B.Bacon, D.Wright, J.Fallon, L.Bartels, M.Dole, E.Pearce
North Bendigo Seniors 2.3 3.7 10.11 13.12 (90)
Heathcote Seniors 1.4 5.8 8.10 11.16 (82)
GOALS: North Bendigo Seniors: H.Johnson 6, J.Ford 2, R.Paetow 1, A.Craig 1, C.Riddick 1, S.Moyle 1, D.Klemm 1; Heathcote Seniors: B.Padmore 6, J.Jones 1, K.Cavallaro 1, S.Harrison 1, J.Conforti 1, A.Mcivor 1
BEST: North Bendigo Seniors: H.Johnson, R.Paetow, T.Devereaux, N.Newlan, M.Thalasinos, S.Moyle; Heathcote Seniors: B.Padmore, S.Harrison, W.Long, C.Price, J.Jones, A.Mcivor
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