By AKSHAY KAPADIA
LAST week, Craigieburn started their 2016 campaign off with a 31-point win over Oak Park, showing that this season they will be a force to be reckoned with.
For Hillside, however, they went down by five points to Taylors Lakes, where inaccuracy got the better of them.
On Saturday, Hillside headed to Craigieburn to face the Eagles in a Round 2 encounter.
The first quarter started with a bang for Craigieburn as a free kick from the centre circle led to an easy goal to Cameron Cloke.
Hillside where able to build pressure in their forward line early on, but were unable to convert anything to the scoreboard of significance.
Craigieburn where able to kick another goal through a free kick awarded in their backline; which was the result of a good break from the defensive line.
Hillside failed to take the early chances in the first quarter, only managing one goal from their six scoring shots.
Craigieburn got off to another good start in the second quarter with the first goal; before two more goals had them cruising in the lead.
Then a series of goals to both teams gave the Sharks the ability to find their goal-kicking shoes in front of goal.
But that couldn't stop the fact that the Eagles pushed a nine-point quarter time lead to a four-goal lead at halftime.
Hillside continued to miss easy chances in the third quarter, with three straight behinds to kick things off.
They did not want a repeat of the previous week, where their inaccuracy cost them the game, and they had most of the scoring shots, including two goals, before a drizzle of rain sent the spectators into the covered area.
But once the ground became wet, Craigieburn took full control through to the end of the third quarter kicking in the next three goals including, one on the siren.
This blew the difference out to 34 points at the final change.
Three quick goals to Hillside in the fourth were a sign of relief, two of which came from the boot of Jackson Volpato.
But Craigieburn where able to stem the flow and kicked the next four goals to deny any chance of a Sharks comeback.
At the end of the day, the Eagles won by a comfortable 34 points, but the game could have been much closer if the Sharks had taken their chances early or stemmed the flow of back line breaks from the Eagles.
On Saturday, Hillside are at home to Oak Park, in what should be a good game, while the Eagles take on Hadfield at Martin Reserve.
CRAIGIEBURN | 19.7-121
Goal Kickers: J. Cloke 4, G. Robertson 4, A. Loizou 3, G. Heenan 3, C. Cloke 2, R. Bongetti, N. Perrone, J. Young
Best Players: A. Loizou, J. Page, J. Young, J. Cloke, G. Robertson, R. Bongetti
HILLSIDE | 12.15-87
Goal Kickers: J. Volpato 4, T. Stone 3, S. Nason 2, M. Taleb, J. Hayes, V. Micallef
Best Players: J. Volpato, R. Weightman, R. Deppeler, V. Micallef, J. Micallef, J. Bertollo
