Sandhurst edges out Gisborne in fierce BFNL battle

The difference between the two teams in the 13.10 (88) to 10.13 (73) scoreline was efficiency.

The Dragons, in particular Joel Wharton, made the most of their chances, while the Dogs were left to lament some missed opportunities in front of goal.

Wharton finished with four goals, including a crucial three-goal burst in the third quarter, to be the most impactful player on the ground alongside team-mate Lachlan Tardrew.

"It was good to see our boys play under some pressure,'' Sandhurst co-coach Ashley Connick said.

"Gisborne are really well coached and for long periods of the game they took away some of the things we wanted to do. It was great to see our boys respond to that.

"It was a really tight tussle. I think we had some advantages in that it was our second game and their first game, so we thought we would have the better legs in the last quarter.

"Gisborne didn't lie down, they're a really resilient footy club and they made us earn a really tough win.

"To win ugly today is something we're really happy with. We know we have that in the kit bag when sides play as well as Gisborne did. We won't always win with ball movement and forward potency."

Sandhurst jumped out of the blocks and kicked the opening three goals of the game.

Gisborne kicked six behinds before scoring its first goal at the 19-minute mark of the second term.

The Dogs had their backline to thank for keeping them in the game while the forwards found their range in front of goal.

Zac Vescovi kept Sandhurst star Fergus Greene in check, while Jack Reaper and Liam Spear took several intercept marks.

In a heavily-contested, low scoring opening half - which suited Gisborne's style - the Dragons looked the better side for much of it and took a 17-point lead into the main break.

When the game opened up early in the third quarter it was Gisborne who took control.

In a withering burst, the Dogs showed why they'll be there when the whips are cracking deep in September.

The Dogs kicked four goals in 10 minutes, including two to 2022 premiership skipper Pat McKenna, to grab a seven-point lead.

Gisborne had all the momentum and the Dragons desperately needed a spark.

That spark came from Wharton.

The silky-skilled left-footer kicked the next three goals of the game, including two classy finishes on the run from the Rifle Brigade pocket.

While Wharton was splitting the middle at one end, the Bulldogs missed two gettable set shots at the other end and Sandhurst took a nine-point lead into the final quarter.

The first goal of the final term was always going to be crucial and in crunch time it was Tardrew who stepped up for the Dragons.

A crucial clearance from the former Collingwood VFL skipper paved the way for Noah Walsh to goal and a short time later Tardrew had a hand in Greene's first goal of the day.

All of a sudden the Dragons led by 21 points and the Bulldogs had little margin for error.

To the Bulldigs' credit they didn't throw in the towel.

They closed to within nine points late in the dying seconds before Sandhurst first-gamer Ollie Hannaford put the icing on Sandhurst's cake with his first goal at senior level in the BFNL.

"We let ourselves down in the first quarter - Sandhurst brought the heat as expected and we didn't react well enough,'' Gisborne coach Rob Waters said.

"We were three goals to zip down and it was pretty even after that. We had plenty of inside 50s, but we didn't get enough reward for effort.

"Full credit to Sandhurst, they're a class act and they're very well structured. It was good exposure for us against a quality team in a big, tough game of footy.

"We're disappointed we lost, but we're around the mark I'm hoping."

Vescovi and Reaper were Gisborne's best, while McKenna finished with five goals and Flynn Lakey was the best of the Dogs' midfield group.

Aside from Wharton and Tardrew, defenders Darcy Mills and Cooper Smith were superb for the Dragons.