Kyneton holds off late Gisborne surge to keep in touch with Bendigo Football League top five
KYNETON held off a late surge from fierce rival Gisborne on Saturday to claim a thrilling two-point win and maintain pace with the BFL top five.
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KYNETON held off a late surge from fierce rival Gisborne on Saturday to claim a thrilling two-point win and maintain pace with the Bendigo Football League top five.
The Tigers led by 17 points at three-quarter-time at Kyneton Showgrounds, but the Dogs found another gear in the final term to almost snatch a nailbiting contest.
Kyneton prevailed 14.12 (96) to 13.16 (94), climbing above Kangaroo Flat and establishing a one-game buffer over Gisborne after 12 rounds.
Reigning best and fairest winner Ben Weightman was the star for the Tigers, slotting six goals, while Jake Hyland, Rhys Magin and Joel Stevenson played important roles.
“It was a crucial game,” Weightman said.
“If we lost this one we were pretty much in doubt to make that fifth spot.
“But if we won it we (knew we’d) give Gisborne a pretty hard time to get there.
“We just needed to get those four points and whether (the margin) was two points or 50 points, we just needed to get them and we did.”
Gisborne could have been further in front at quarter-time, kicking 2.5 to lead by nine points after a tight opening term.
The Dogs kept their momentum rolling early in the second quarter, before Kyneton stormed into the match with a flurry of goals.
The Tigers finished with 8.2 for the quarter to turn what loomed as a challenging deficit into a 24-point lead at the main break.
The arm wrestle continued throughout the second half, Kyneton answering all bar one of the visitors' four third-quarter goals to maintain its lead with 30 minutes to play.
Weightman had several chances to ice the game in the final quarter, but it was the Tigers’ defence which stood tallest as the home side held on.
Matt Knox was the pick of Gisborne’s forwards with five goals, edging an enthralling duel with Kyneton key defender Harrison Huntley.
“Our backline stood up really well,” Weightman said.
“They were attacking pretty hard, they got a fair bit of supply coming in and I was pretty impressed with our backline.
“We stood tall and gritted it out for that last five or so minutes.”
The competition’s top four appears settled, leaving Kyneton, Gisborne, Castlemaine and Kangaroo Flat fighting for fifth spot.
Castlemaine was due to play winless Maryborough on Sunday, giving the Magpies an opportunity to edge ahead of the Tigers in the race for finals spots.
Gisborne returns to action against Golden Square on July 18, while Kyneton hosts South Bendigo.
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