IT was a successful weekend for Kilmore’s men’s team, scoring a much-needed win.
The team ventured to Eltham College to take on Old Eltham Collegians, who had their tails up fresh from a victory over Lalor.
Coming off its big loss to Ivanhoe last week, the Blues desperately needed a result to stay in the conversation for a spot in division three’s top five.
However, the way the game panned out, the Blues had to earn it early on, with just three goals scored in the opening quarter. Emmett Clark delivered the first goal of the game, before Chris Barton answered Nick Milne’s effort to ensure the Blues led 14-9 at the first change.
A frenetic start greeted the second quarter, with Old Eltham kicking the first, before Caleb Newport instantly replied with a great goal. At the 11-minute mark, Lachlan Chesher extended Kilmore’s lead to 11 points, but Old Eltham found another gear to kick the last two goals to snatch the lead at half time, 30-28.
The first 30 seconds of the second half was a precursor to what Kilmore would deliver in the third quarter, with Mitch O’Dwyer giving the Blues a lead they would not relinquish again.
Tristan Lilburn kickstarted a six-minute burst where the Blues would finally put the Turtles away, with Newport and Clark following to ensure Kilmore led 55-38 at the final change.
Despite Old Eltham kicking the first goal of the last to ask some questions of the Blues, they had another five-minute burst in them. Zack Ferguson goaled at the eight-minute mark, before Clark and Chesher said goodnight to the Turtles’ brief chances.
Newport and Chesher added their third apiece as Kilmore wound up winning 13.8 (86) to 8.12 (60).
Grant Paxton put in a powerful performance to be adjudged best-on-ground, but he had plenty of mates. Barton inspired once again, while Chesher and Newport were dangerous in front of goal. Benjamin Doyle and Josh Robertson completed the best players.
