By Hayley Wildes
The Dandenong Stingrays made it six wins on the trot with a comprehensive win over the Geelong Falcons on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon at Shepley Oval.
The Falcons came out with plenty of hunger and were set up well behind the ball as the Rays found it tough going for the opening 10 minutes of the game.
Despite Geelong’s dominance, they were unable to convert on the scoreboard and in the second half of the first term, Dandenong asserted their dominance around the contest to hold a 19-point lead at quarter time.
In the second term Dandenong looked to be running away with the game, but Geelong pushed hard to score three goals in three minutes midway through the quarter to cut the Rays’ lead to just 13 points.
The Rays responded well to push the lead back out to 25 points at half time.
Will Hamill provided the highlight of the third quarter with an extraordinary running goal that started on the wing and ended with a goal from a tight angle in the forward pocket.
A 44-point three quarter time lead was extended in the opening minute of the final term as Hustwaite sped out of the centre and delivered to Ed Cahill in the goal square.
A six goal to one final term saw the Rays claim a 17.13 (115) to 5.7 (37) win.
Riley Bowman (four goals), Toby Bedford, Matthew Cottrell, Campbell Hustwaite and Sam Fletcher were sublime, while Matthew Cumming’s defensive work was vital.
Meanwhile, the Gippsland Power returned to the winners list with an important win over the third-placed Murray Bushrangers in Morwell on Sunday.
Excitement machine Irving Mosquito got the Power off to a strong start scoring two first-quarter goals as he set the tone for the day ahead.
The Power, whilst inaccurate up forward – which could be in part attributed to the abysmal weather – held the Bushrangers goalless in the first half to boast a 5.10 (40) to 0.3 (3) lead at the main break.
Gippsland’s ruthlessness continued in defence in the second half, conceding just three goals for the game, eventually running out 9.16 (70) to 3.7 (25) winners.
Caleb Serong and Josh Smith were superb for the Power, thriving in the wet and windy conditions, while Harold Hood, in his TAC Cup debut, was terrific in the midfield battle.
Gippsland (7-2-2) remain second on the ladder, two wins behind Dandenong (10-1).
With round 12 being a split round, both teams have the weekend off. Dandenong returns to action on Saturday July 21 against Bendigo at Shepley Oval and Gippsland take on the Western Jets at Morwell Football Ground on Sunday, 22 July.
