Wade Street Recreation Reserve hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Gisborne but it was able to bury some demons on Saturday in the Bendigo Football League.
While Gisborne was shooting for win 11 in a row in the battle of the Bulldogs, they knew it wouldn’t be without a fight.
Gisborne led by five points at halftime before kicking four goals to none in the third quarter to open up a 33 point lead.
Golden Square showed some fight in the last quarter but Gisborne had done enough to win, 14.10 (94)-11.9 (75).
Gisborne skipper Jack Reaper said it was nice to have a winning day out at Wade Street.
“It’s always tough up there and 2018 was the last time we won at Wade Street,” he said.
“Before that it was 2014 or 2015, it’s not a good record up there. We haven’t played up there a lot and not many players were part of the bad losses in 2017.
“We didn’t focus on it too much, but the older statesmen wanted to get the win.”
Reaper said the conditions suited them with rain falling for a second straight week. He said at one stage they had sun in the third quarter and then hail in the fourth.
He said it was a game where he was glad that he wasn’t a midfielder.
“With the conditions it was a midfield controlled game and about trying to get territory,” he said.
“We got on top in the middle in the third quarter and were able to put it on the scoreboard.”
Dylan Johnstone kicked five goals for the Bulldogs, backing up the four he kicked from the week before.
He’s part of a group of players that are stepping up and really pleasing Reaper.
“Dylan kicked five goals and keeps learning,” he said. “It’s nice having players like Dylan and Harry [Luxmoore] step up.
“Boyd [Nalder] played his second senior game. He’s played Sandhurst and Golden Square and has not looked out of place.
“He’s come up from the reserves and played a role.”
Flynn Lakey was named the Bulldogs best alongside Reaper and Jack Scanlon.
The Bulldogs remain in second spot, just percentage behind Sandhurst. The Bulldogs have a three game gap on Strathfieldsaye.
Reaper said the match against the Bulldogs was the start of a tough run in the lead up to finals.
They will get Braidon Blake back this week after he was a late withdrawal due to the flu.
“We’ve got Eaglehawk, Strathfieldsaye and then Castlemaine who are dangerous especially when they’re at home.
“The next three games if we can get two to three wins we can take that ascendency to finals.”
Tara Murray
