By Tara Murray
Kyneton will be hoping to forget Saturday’s semi-final loss against Eaglehawk as it tries to get its finals campaign back on track in the Bendigo Football League.
For the first quarter it looked set to be a cracking contest between the two teams, but from then on it was all Eaglehawk.
Eaglehawk kicked 16 goals to two after quarter-time, to win 22.17 (149)-5.7 (37).
Tigers coach Luke Beattie said it was one of those days they would like to forgot.
“It was really disappointing,” he said. “Thankfully we have the second chance.
“We’ll have to look at a few things before next week to work on.
“It’s disappointing and you don’t dismiss it, but it’s one of those games you want to rip off the tape and throw it out.”
Beattie said the first quarter was good from both sides, before Eaglehawk upped the pressure.
The Tigers weren’t able to go with them and it showed on the scoreboard.
Beattie said his side didn’t respond to the pressure.
“We turned the ball over too consistently,” he said.
“And we were doing it in space and they could capitalise. We did have some inside 50s, but were just bombing it in.”
Beattie said they had few winners. He said Hamish Govan and Billy Mahony tried hard all day, but everyone else would have to look at themselves and see what they could do better.
“We were fantastic until quarter-time,” he said.
“We’ll look at what was successful in that quarter and approach the rest of the game differently.”
Injuries didn’t help the loss, with the Tigers down to just one player on the bench.
Max O’Sullivan (concussion), Gareth Bowes (knee) and Harrison Huntley (hamstring) are all expected to be right for this week.
The Tigers this week face Sandhurst in a knock-out semi-final.
Beattie said they hoped to get back Tom O’Sullivan, Fintan Brazil and Brandon Dimech for the game.
“They [Sandhurst] are playing good football and one of the more in-form teams of the competition,” Beattie said.
Sandhurst won through to the semi-final after a win against Gisborne in an elimination final. Sandhurst led at every break, but couldn’t kick away from the Bulldogs in the first three quarters.
They led by seven points at three-quarter time, before kicking away late to win, 13.10 (88)-9.11 (65).
Josh Grabham was named the Bulldogs best in the loss.
