Hurstbridge continue to stamp their authority in the Melbourne Greyhounds Division 1 competition, claiming their fifth consecutive win in a 55-point thumping of Greensborough at Greensborough War Memorial Park.
A huge six-goal to nothing first term set the tone for Joel Cordwell’s men, as despite the margin reducing to seven points by half time, the Bridges were in control for the remainder of the match to prevail 17.10 (112) to 7.15 (57).
The Bridges now sit comfortable in second position on percentage while the Boro, who have now lost three straight games at home, fall to fifth position.
Joel Naylor and Blake Fitzgerald both managed three majors for the victors, with star midfield duo William Cookson and Mitchell Moschetti incredibly dominant for the away side.
The hosts were led by the return of Joel Trudgeon from VFL duties, while skipper Jack Johnston again finished as his side’s best.
The contest was fierce and full of stoppages early, with both teams applying frantic pressure from the first bounce.
Bailey Jordan would eventually kick the first major of the day after winning a free kick and converting his set shot from 20 metres out.
The key difference between the two sides early was their efficiency both around the ground and entering their attacking 50.
This was highlighted by Moschetti early in the term, who had options galore inside 50 but instead opted to lower the eyes and find Blake Fitzgerald on the lead, before the forward went back and converted.
From the halfway point of the first term, goals were coming in a flurry for the Bridges, with Joel Naylor and Luke De Goldi both adding to the scoreboard as well as Caelan Anderson who fired two for the quarter.
It gave Hurstbridge a 35-point quarter time advantage, keeping Greensborough to just two behinds in the process.
But Matthew Hyde’s men came out firing in the second quarter, chipping away at the deficit they faced at the first change. Fresh off a four-goal effort last week, Charlie Bowes got the Boro’s first goal on the board before Jamie Smith got his team right back in the contest by taking multiple contested marks deep inside 50 and converting both shots on goal within minutes of each other.
Joel Trudgeon was fantastic all day, but his best effort for the hosts came in the second term when he was pressured to the boundary by a defender and still managed to split the big sticks, making it four Boro goals in a row and lifting the atmosphere at War-Memorial Park.
A Brody Glenn tackle 20 minutes into the quarter was the perfect representation of Greensborough’s performance throughout the period, as he desperately lunged to make the tackle as Hurstbridge looked to rebound.
Campbell Walsh had the chance to make it five unanswered goals and reduce the margin to within a kick right before the half time siren, but unfortunately for the men in green he couldn’t convert.
The margin seven points at the main break, with the Bridges this time being the side held goalless for a quarter.
However, with the game right in the balance, it was Hurstbridge who reverted back to their efforts at the start of the match and dominated the third term with another six-goal quarter.
Kye Agosta drew first blood for the Bridges’ eight minutes into the quarter after slotting a miraculous goal from the boundary. They would win the next centre clearance and find Bailey Jordan, who had no issues with his set shot, handing his team a 17-point lead and some breathing room.
William Cookson was everywhere in the second half, constantly getting first hands to the ball and also impacting the scoreboard to further extend his side’s advantage.
Trudgeon would break Hurstbridge’s three-goal run halfway through the third term, crumbing in the goal square and claiming his second major for the match.
But the Bridges replied immediately through Naylor who snapped truly for a goal, and the visitors were close to breaking the game apart.
A pinpoint pass from William O’Dwyer-Richards found Brody Glenn all alone in the pocket but could only register a behind from the tight angle which would’ve been a crucial goal for Boro.
Hurstbridge pounced on the opportunity given to them and they finished the term strongly, with Moschetti extending his team’s lead to 38 points right before the three quarter time siren with a stunning finish.
Joel Cordwell’s men put the game to bed early in the final term. Cookson and Naylor both found the big sticks within the opening five minutes of the quarter to push the margin out to 50 points.
They would produce the next three goals of the match to give them a game-high 69-point lead, before some late Boro majors saw the final result settle at a 55-point triumph for the in-form visitors.
