Diamond Creek Women’s 1 have kept their Heidelberg Golf Club Division 1 finals hopes alive in a big way after defeating Darebin 1 by 38 points at Plenty Park Oval.
The Creekers ended a three-game losing streak with the 9.8 (62) to 3.6 (24) triumph and are now just four points away from the Falcons and from a top four spot.
Brittany Apted was one of the home side’s best players on the ground, crashing through packs to fight for the footy and offering support towards teammates throughout the match.
Isabella Dixon, Talisha Rowland and Olivia Caruana were also stand-outs for the winning team, contributing to their side’s domination through their tireless efforts to claim possession.
Linda Thorp produced three majors and remains on top of the competition leading goalkicker leaderboard.
Ruby Cray was one of the shining lights for the Falcons. With a determined mentality and a strong will for the ball, Cray did everything possible to keep the visitors in the hunt and has now been named in Darebin’s best players for three consecutive Division 1 games.
Imogen Kendal, Sam Pritchard and Talia Atkinson were all key players for the visitors, remaining steadfast in their defence despite the wide margin throughout the game.
The first quarter was played almost solely in the Creekers’ forward 50, resulting in two goals for the home team and a scoreless term for the visitors.
Maykaylah Appleby and Lauren Durante were highlights for Diamond Creek Women’s, making it difficult for the Falcons to efficiently move the ball through the middle and towards their attacking half.
Meanwhile Amelia Phipps was a stand-out for the visitors, trying diligently to get the ball out of the defensive half on multiple occasions.
The Creekers led by 14 points at the first change and looked at their dominant best throughout the second term.
It was a four-goal quarter for the hosts, two of them coming from Linda Thorp who was proving to be more than a handful for the Darebin defenders.
Appleby had another great quarter, with the Creekers skipper involved in almost every contest in the attacking half.
Teammate Tiana Richmond was also a key player for the reigning premiers, always contesting for the ball and always providing teammates with a solid and efficient option.
Jordan Smyth and Karmen Wong did what they could for the Falcons in the quarter, with Smyth’s efforts in the ruck in particular, contributing to some great passages of play for the visitors.
Smyth would also be the one to kick the visitors’ first major of the game, reducing the deficit for Darebin to 33 points at half time.
The speedy Chiara Nardo got things firing for the home side just seconds into the third term, kicking goal number nine for the season to further extend the advantage.
Poppy Strickland was another who got on the scoreboard, contributing to a turnover in the Falcons’ defensive 50 before kicking truly for a goal.
The away side did find a second major through Dallas Rowland, who had been playing well, but again faced the tough task of turning around a 40-point margin at the final break.
Darebin did gain some ascendency throughout the last term, with the ball being played in their forward half for most of the quarter.
However, Diamond Creek Women’s would secure the victory following Appleby’s second major of the game.
In turn, the Falcons couldn’t capitalise on their dominance, kicking 1.5 for the term. Their goal came courtesy of Alexandra Pronesti.
The 38-point result brings much intrigue to the final four weeks of the home and away season, as last year’s Grand Finalists look set to fight it out for the last spot in the top four.
