Hillside 8.9-57 def. by Tullamarine 9.7-61
TULLAMARINE has moved to third on the Essendon Ford Division 1 table after holding on away to Hillside on Saturday.
Conditions were ideal at a chilly Shark Park but both sides were slow out of the gate with only three combined goals scored in the opening term.
Hillside was particularly wasteful and it proved costly in the second term as the Demons found their feet to establish a 10-point half time lead.
It remained a dogged arm wrestle throughout the second half but Tullamarine managed to stay ahead.
The Sharks fought back late to bring it within a kick but time ran out in what was a tense ending.
Will Becker was again impressive with two goals for the Demons while Jonathan Hardman was named best-on-ground.
Jack Sims was the EDFL Match of the Day crew’s RAWFORM Seamless Compression Player of the Day.
Oak Park 8-12-60 def. by East Keilor 9.12-66
East Keilor has its second win for Season 2017 after holding on against Oak Park in another tense Essendon Ford Division 1 battle.
Similar to what we saw at Shark Park, this was an ugly arm wrestle and scoring was at a premium.
By half time the Cougars led by eight points but conceded the only three goals of the third quarter.
They steadied in the final term, though, and with the help of a heroic last-second mark from defender Vince Schiavello, the Cougars held on to win by a goal.
Jake Napoli, Ash Arrowsmith and Paris Grampsas were all impressive with two goals each while Dean Clare led the way for the Kangaroos with three of his own.
The loss leaves Oak Park in sixth spot at 3-4.
Glenroy 16.15-111 def. Taylors Lakes 6.12-48
The return of Judd Brewster into the Glenroy line-up just about proved the difference at Sewell Reserve.
Not only did the Hadfield premiership gun snag six goals, but he was also named best-on-ground in the Roys’ easy 63-point win over a disappointing Taylors Lakes outfit.
The ladder leader played with authority from the beginning and never allowed the Lions a sniff, leading at every change and restricting Taylors Lakes to just two goals up until three-quarter time.
Up forward Brewster did the damage alongside Adam Winter (four goals) and Jayden Walker (two), with Luke Capuano not hitting the scoreboard.
Mitch Mills and Josh Trembearth were again impressive through the midfield as well.
Taylors Lakes not only took a percentage hit, but it could prove particularly costly come Round 18.
Currently the Lions are fifth at 4-4 and will have the next two weeks off as the last remaining team in the division to have its first bye.
Westmeadows 32.22-214 def. Hadfield 7.2-44
The Tigers desperately needed some percentage just to keep pace with the rest of the division and they certainly took advantage of the struggling Hawks at Willowbrook.
The margin was already 100-plus by half time but the Hawks ensured it didn’t go beyond 200 with five second half goals.
Playing a stronger 22 than the one that went down to Taylors Lakes in Round 7, Westmeadows did not let up in piling on the goals as the day went on.
Mitch Church was the one that finished on top of the tally with eight goals and Ben Drummond was next best with six, with Aaron Smillie and Aaron Evans each getting two of their own.
The Tigers remain seventh on the table.
