Hurstbridge recorded its second win in a row with a 13-point triumph over Heidelberg at Warringal Park in Round 5.
The Bridges got the jump with a seven-goal to two opening quarter, allowing them to dictate proceedings in the 10.12 (72) to 8.11 (59) result.
The win was helped largely by the contribution from Cooper Perrin, whose ball use around the ground was clinical, as was his pressure at the contests.
He was also able to impact the scoreboard and snagged five goals, with Mitchell Burton also chipping in with three goals for the Bridges.
Early on in the match, it was all about Hurstbridge. The visitors kicked the first five goals before a couple of goal exchanges saw out the first quarter, with the Bridges holding a comfortable 31-point lead.
There was a favourable wind swirling around Warringal Park however, and as the Bridges had that behind them for the first quarter, so did the Tigers in the second.
The home side used the wind to their advantage – despite a goalless 10-minute start to the term – kicking five unanswered goals for the term to have scored tied at 7.6 (48) apiece at the main break.
As rain began to fall down at a heavier rate, the game saw a lot of contested play with neither side able to impact the scoreboard for long periods of time.
It took almost 20 minutes for Perrin to kick the first goal of the third term to put Bridges clear by five points.
Perrin got on the end of another goal shortly after, his fourth of the day, before some late chances went begging for Hurstbridge meaning they could only take a 15-point lead into the final quarter.
The rain eased at the start of the final term, yet the end-to-end spectacle continued, as it took 15 minutes for the opening goal to be kicked – via Anthony Fable who gave Heidelberg the start they desired, reducing the margin to just seven points.
Some more free-flowing play saw out the majority of the fourth term, before Perrin put the nail in Heidelberg’s coffin.
He was rewarded a holding the ball free kick for a massive tackle to which he calmly slotted his set shot to make it five goals for the match.
That would prove to be the final goal of the game, with the Bridges holding on for a vital win to jump into sixth spot on the ladder and within four points of the top-five.
Despite his side’s three-game winning streak coming to an end, Lachlan Wilson starred for the Bergers through the middle of the ground, often being the one to kickstart their chains of possessions. He was helped by Nathan Honey and Jacob Page.
Competition will resume in two weeks following the representative game against the MPNFL, with the Bridges hosting North Heidelberg, whilst the Bergers will return to Warringal Park when they tackle Whittlesea.
