THE ecstasy of victory and agony of defeat was felt in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy clashes at Castlemaine and Eaglehawk on Saturday.
As Gisborne and Strathfieldsaye marked wins by a point and seven points, Castlemaine and Eaglehawk were left to rue what have been in the season’s fifth round.
It was a top contest between Castlemaine and Gisborne at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The Bailey Henderson-coached Castlemaine raced to a 29-9 lead by quarter-time.
Gisborne hit back to win the second, 24-7.
A three-point buffer for the Magpies at half-time was 14 by the final change.
In the last it was the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne which faced a 21-point deficit after Dylan Landt landed a goal for Castlemaine.
A run of three goals by Gisborne was capped by a Dominic Sullivan goal to make it 60-all at just over four minutes to play.
A Matt Merrett major put Gisborne in front.
A behind for the Magpies was followed by a Harrison Sheahan goal to level scores.
What would be a 20th behind for Gisborne clinched a 68-67 victory.
In a match where defences were on top, Gisborne had Shane Clough and Matt Merrett kick two goals each.
Castlemaine’s attack was led by Bailey Henderson and Harrison Sheahan with two.
Best for Gisborne were Will Elliott, Dylan Johnstone, James Gray, Frank Schipano, Brad Bernacki and Zach Vescovi.
Jack Sutherland, Hunter Staples, Brodie Byrne, Harrison Sheahan, Zavier Murley and Dylan Landt were best for the Magpies.
Another thrilled was played out at C & M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park between the Hawks and Strathfieldsaye Storm.
The Storm line-up led 16-8 at quarter-time and 25-18 by the main break.
Goals by James Schischka, Riley Wilson and Tyson McKenzie gave Storm a 26-point buffer in the third quarter.
Eaglehawk hit back with goals by Nick Thompson, Noah Wheeler and Jack Thompson.
A Riley Mulquiny major meant Strathfiledsaye was up by 14 points at 12 minutes to go in the term.
Defensive actions were a highlight of this match.
A Nick Thompson goal in the final minute put the Borough within seven points going into the final quarter.
The Hawks did plenty of attacking, but were off target.
Consecutive goals for Strathfieldsaye gave the Jeff Andrews-coached team a 17-point cushion.
The Hawks scored the last two goals through Tyh Evans and Lewin Davis, but it was Strathfieldsaye which celebrated a hard-fought 69-62 victory.
McKenzie and Schischka led Strathfieldsaye’s attack on three goals each.
Nick Thompson finished with two goals for the Borough.
Storm’s best were Riley and Darcy Mulquiny, Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, Cooper Jones, Zane Keighran and Tyson McKenzie.
Oscar White, Nick Hoare, Callum Heath, Jonty Neaves, Charlie Langford and Ben Thompson were best for the Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes-coached Eaglehawk.
At Queen Elizabeth Oval it was Sandhurst which dominated its clash with Kangaroo Flat.
The Roos took plenty of confidence into the match following a long-awaited win against Broadford the previous round.
After a wayward opening term in which it scored 2.6 and kept the Roos to a point, Sandhurst scored five goals in the second quarter to lead 50-1 by the long break.
Best quarter of the match was the third as both teams added three goals.
Sandhurst led 69-21 going into the last term and upped its pressure and run markedly.
As the Dragons scored eight goals they kept the Roos to a tally of three behinds.
Sandhurst led 121-24 at the final siren.
Cobi Maxted capped a fine match with five goals as Jonty Davis, Fergus Greene and Nick Stagg kicked two each.
The Roos’ goalkickers were Sam Barnes, Darby Brown and Jarrell Ratcliffe.
Sandhurst’s best were Caleb Connick, co-coach Fergus Greene, Cobi Maxted, Oliver Morris, Nick Stagg and Jonty Davis.
The Dragons have Bryce Curnow as non-playing co-coach.
Jeremy Rodi, Daniel Stagg, Tyran Farmer, Zach Bird, Aaron Nevins and Jarrell Ratcliffe were best for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos.
Golden Square had the bye.
It was also a rest for Broadford and South Bendigo who played in the stand-alone season launch on March 28 at Broadford’s Harley Hammond Reserve.
The Bloods marked a 205-point victory.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 299 per cent, 16 points; South Bendigo 168, 16; Gisborne 154, 12; Strathfieldsaye 110, 12; Eaglehawk 101, 8; Castlemaine 100, 8; Golden Square 120, 4; Kangaroo Flat 58, 4; Broadford 17, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s sixth round will be the Graeme Wright Memorial match between South Bendigo and Sandhurst at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street from 2.20pm.
Another big match will be in Gisborne’s headquarters at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve as the Bulldogs face Eaglehawk.
Strathfieldsaye takes on Broadford in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Kangaroo Flat and Golden Square meet in the duel of the neighbours at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
15 Brock Harvey, SB.
12 Cobi Maxted, Sh.
11 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Nick Keogh, KF; Pat McKenna, Gis.; Alex Smith, SB.
10 Michael Hartley, Cm; Harry Luxmoore, Gis.
9 Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Tyson McKenzie, S’saye; James Schischka, S’saye; Ben Thompson, Eh.
8 Archie Eaton, GS; Brody Haddow, SB; Archie Rixon, Cm.
7 Tom Campbell, Sh; Zac Denahy, Gis.; James Frawley, SB; Fergus Greene, Sh; Bailey Henderson, Cm; Jack Thompson, Eh.
6 Jacob Austin, Sh; Pat Blake, S’saye; Zach Charles, S’saye; Caleb Connick, Sh; Coen Harker, SB; Oliver Morris, Sh; Jack Stewart, GS.
