A look back at the weekend’s results from Round 5 of the Northern Football League’s junior competition
In the Under-18 Girls competition, Darebin claimed a win over previously undefeated South Morang. Led by Karmen Wong and Nikita Magriplis (two goals), the Falcons led at every change in the 10-point win. Elsewhere, Montmorency won its fifth straight game with a 38-point win over fourth-placed Diamond Creek Women’s. Epping and Mill Park were the round’s other winners, while Hurstbridge had the bye.
In the Under-17 Blue competition, Montmorency wasn’t able to back up its Round 4 win from last week, going down at the hands of Research. A tight affair throughout the day, it was the Searchers who led for the majority, taking away the four points in a 10-point triumph despite the Magpies having five more scoring shots for the match. In another tight affair, Mill Park came from behind to triumph by two points over a gallant Eltham. Trailing by six points at the final break, the Stallions kicked four goals in the final term to get them the memorable win on the back of a match winning performance from Adrian Pitruzzello. In other results, Diamond Creek recorded a win over Greensborough at Beale Oval while South Morang had a week off with the bye.
Thomastown recorded a nail-biting win in the Under-17 Red competition, defeating Wallan by just two points. The Bears led by 20 points at quarter time, with the fast start helping in what was an extremely tight game thereafter at Wallan Recreational Reserve. That was the closest result in the competition for Round 5, with Epping and Whittlesea winning comfortably over South Morang and Hurstbridge respectively.
The Under-16 Blue competition saw South Morang maintain its unbeaten run, beating the previously unbeaten Epping by a big margin at Mill Park Lakes Reserve. On the back of strong performances from David Paolino and Nathan Viotto, the Lions were able to kick 17 goals against a strong opponent. It was a much different story in the Yarrambat and Diamond Creek match, as the Bats came from 10 points behind at three-quarter time to win by six points at Coventry Oval. The visitors kicked 2.4 to zero in the final quarter to clinch the come-from-behind win. Wallan was also able to record a win, beating West Preston-Lakeside at Wallan Recreation Reserve.
Mill Park and Eltham produced the second draw for the season in the Under-16 Red competition, with both sides locked at 6.7 (43) at the end of the match at Redleap Reserve. The Panthers held a two-point buffer at the final break, however the Stallions kept them scoreless for the final term but couldn’t muster a goal themselves as the sides could not be separated on the scoreboard. Research and Greensborough both recorded wins at their respective home grounds, beating Montmorency and Bundoora Park.
The Under-15 Blue competition saw Wallan record an 11-point win over a gallant Mill Park at Wallan Recreational Reserve. Only leading by four points at the final break, the Magpies were able to slightly extend their advantage over the Stallions in the final term on the back of a three-goal and best on ground performance from Sebastian Villegas. In other results in the competition South Morang, Montmorency and Laurimar Black were all able to record victories in their respective matches.
West Preston-Lakeside got on the winners’ list in the Under-15 Red competition, recording a nail-biting two-point win over Epping away from home. Led by a best on ground performance from Brad Hexter, the Roosters held off the Pingers in the final term to record a memorable win at Epping Recreational Reserve. That wasn’t the only close result for the competition in Round 5, as Eltham fell five points short of producing a memorable comeback win over Hurstbridge. Trailing by 28 points at three-quarter time, the Panthers kicked the final five goals of their match, but couldn’t muster another major to get ahead of the Bridges. Meanwhile, Research and South Morang were the round’s other winners.
There were many close results in the Under-15 Girls competition, with Montmorency (eight points), Mill Park (nine points), Epping (10 points) and South Morang (13 points) all recording exceptionally tight wins. West Preston-Lakeside and Diamond Creek Women’s Blue also claimed wins in Round 5.
