Bundoora grabbed a percentage-boosting win against Hurstbridge on Saturday, sending the Bulls to third on the Northern Football League division one ladder.
Bundoora was ruthless and clinical from the opening bounce, kicking six first-quarter goals from seven shots to set the game up. It didn’t relent all day, leaving with a 22.15 (147) – 11.8 (74) triumph.
Hurstbridge was able to match it with the visitors for a short while in the first quarter, but Bundoora’s dominant forward line of Gary Moorcroft (six goals), Josh Grabowski (three goals) and Isaac Muller (four goals) proved too much across the day.
Bundoora kicked five goals in the second quarter, six in the third, and five in the last to stretch its advantage at every change.
The win sets up a tantalising clash with top of the table Northcote Park this weekend, with Bundoora looking to close the gap on the top two sides.
Elsewhere, Whittlesea was unable to recover from a poor opening quarter as it fell to Heidelberg to remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder.
Heidelberg flew out of the blocks with eight straight goals in the first term, with Whittlesea struggling to keep pace as it managed just two majors in reply.
It was always going to be hard to come back from there, and while the Eagles managed to narrowly win the second quarter, another five goals to two in the third put the result out of their reach.
Justin Sherman (four goals) and Clancy Bland (three) kicked more than half the Eagles score as they fell to their ninth loss of the season.
With six rounds to go, the Eagles are a game behind Eltham and in a battle to avoid relegation. They return to their home base to face Hurstbridge this week.
In division two, Thomastown fell agonizingly short of Fitzroy Stars, with a valiant comeback falling four points shy of the home side.
After trailing by 21 points at three-quarter time, Thomastown kicked 4.7 to 2.2 in the final term to fall just short of victory and slip out of the top four. The final score, 12.12 (84) – 11.14 (80).
Lalor conceded ten goals to two after half-time of its match with Lower Plenty to fall to a 42-point loss.
