Kilmore recovered from back-to-back losses to score a convincing 26-point victory over Old Eltham Collegians at Eltham College in Round 5.
A dominant third term set up the win which puts both teams on two wins, with the Blues having a game in hand.
Goals were hard to come by early and it was a goal apiece late in the first term. Kilmore captain Chris Barton then pounced on a loose ball and kicked a banana straight through the middle to give his team a narrow lead at the first change.
Mitch Crapper came back into the Turtles team this week and slammed one through from the square to begin the second quarter. But the Blues dominated the mid stages of the term with goals to Calen Newport and Lachlan Chesser to establish a two-goal lead.
From that point on, it was all Old Eltham Collegians until half time. Snapped goals from sharpshooter Nick Milne and Tom Burns gave the home team a slender two-point lead at the main break.
The local fans were hoping that the momentum would continue after half time, but it was all Kilmore in the third term. Mitch O’Dwyer had a goal in the first minute. Tristan Lilburn marked from a great pass and converted, then Caleb Newport snapped a major.
The Blues had a 23-point lead late in the third term and possibly could’ve been further in front. They were winning the footy in the clinches and moving it well on the outside.
A contested mark and goal by Turtle Mitch Crapper in the shadows of three-quarter time gave his team some hope.
At the break Old Eltham Collegians coach Stewart McCallum urged his team to lift. He asked his defenders to work hard and to move the ball quickly.
Things went well for the comeback early. Reuben Thomson was very busy in the final term and booted a major early on to give the locals something to cheer about.
However, Kilmore kicked four of the next five to take a firm grip on the game midway through the quarter with a 29-point buffer.
The Turtles, needing a miracle, attacked relentlessly for the next few minutes. Unfortunately for them, they had a return of 1.4 to trail by 19 points with little time left.
Lachlan Chesser had a great game for the Blues and took a mark late in the game 40 metres out and wide. The siren then rang and Chesser slammed through the goal to put icing on the cake.
“It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance,” said Kilmore coach Corey McCall.
“We were not great in the first half, though the Turtles pressured us well. After half time, we played harder and were stronger at the contest.”
McCall liked the work of defender Grant Paxton who took numerous intercept marks and hardly lost a contest all day. Newport and Chesser got ticks for three goals apiece, as did Benjamin Doyle on the wing. Jesse Taylor was praised for his defensive work, while young ruck Joshua Robertson’s follow up work after the ruck contests earned him credit. Benjamin Barton got plenty of it across half back and used the ball well. Emmett Clark was the third Kilmore player to boot three majors.
“We were outmuscled at the contests”, said Old Eltham Collegians coach Stewart McCallum. “Our young list will learn from the experience of playing teams like Kilmore. We are building a great culture and a place that players want to come to and play.”
McCallum liked the work of Daniel Hallett in defence as well as midfielder Bailey Dillon. Lennox Thomson was also praised, while Connot Pilatti was the stand-out Turtle in the third term. Nick Milne was the most dangerous forward for the home team with three goals.
Both teams are away next week, Kilmore with a second week on the road when playing Epping, while Old Eltham Collegians take on a formidable Ivanhoe outfit.
