Macedon was able to do something it hadn’t all year in the Riddell District Football League on Saturday.
The Cats had struggled to play the full four quarters in games against sides in the top six and suffered four close losses as a consequence.
On Saturday, against the Sunbury Kangaroos, that changed as the Cats made the better of a mud heap to record a 4.8 (32)–1.7 (13) win.
For coach Jeff Andrews, it was a relief to get a win against one of the top sides.
He said getting back on the winners’ list against Woodend-Hesket the week before had been a big confidence booster.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Andrews said.
“It was in the back of my mind [losing to the top sides] and I didn’t want it to happen again.
“You could tell after the game that the players are starting to believe they can match it with the top sides.”
Andrews said his side dominated the low-scoring affair.
“It was horrendous conditions with the ground just mud after it rained all day Friday,” he said.
“Scoring was always going to be hard to come by, but our backline still did an amazing job.
“In hindsight, we were in control of the game but in a low-scoring affair they only needed to kick a couple of goals and everything would have changed.”
Shaun Harrison was best on ground for the Cats with Andrews saying he did a brilliant job in conditions that “aren’t his forte”.
Jason Cooke was the only multiple goalscorer, with two.
For the Kangaroos, captain Daniel Gregory featured most strongly.
Both teams sit equal sixth on 36 points with the Cats ahead on percentage.
Broadford, seventh, is a game behind both sides.
This week, the Cats face Romsey, which suffered a shock loss to Riddell.
The Bombers are quickly becoming premiership favourites, having knocked off four of the top six sides in the past month.
On Saturday, a seven-goal-to-one second quarter by the Bombers was the catalyst for the 14.12 (96) – 8.6 (54) win.
The other games went as expected with Diggers Rest, Broadford and Rupertswood having massive victories over Kilmore, Woodend-Hesket and Rockbank,
respectively.
Lancefield won by 12 points over Wallan in the other game.
