TYNTYNDER scored their second victory of the season with a hard fought 23-point victory over a gallant Lake Boga combination on Saturday.
Played in perfect conditions at the Lake Boga Recreation Reserve in front of a healthy sized crowd, the Bulldogs ran away with the match in the second half to eventually win 14.9 (93) to 10.10 (70).
The game ebbed and flowed all day, but in the final analysis it was the Bulldogs’ more experienced players that got on top of the young Magpies in the final term.
Tyntynder opened the game dominating early contested situations with Bailey Reeves, Jack Woodward and Charlie Ford blanketing their direct opponents.
Woodward showed his class when he hit Elia Ware on the chest to enable him to kick the opening goal of the game.
Magpies key forward Jayden Lonergan showed his experience when the veteran snapped truly with his left foot from 30-metres from the next act of play.
The Bulldogs were streaming out of the middle with Reeves, Darcy Bibby and Ford accumulating possessions with monotonous regularity, which enabled Ware to kick two more goals for the term and with Reeves also bringing up the two calicos midway through the quarter, the match was looking like becoming a potential blow out.
Late goals to Xavier Sherlock and Mardy McDonald cut Tyntynder’s margin back to just 10 points at the first break however, with Lake Boga coach Dean Helmers laying down the law to his young charges at the break accusing them of playing individualistic football and not doing the team orientated things that they had been instructed to do.
His strong words seemed to work early in the second term, as the Magpies began to win the clearances.
Nathaniel Holmes Brown, Kadek Irvin, Xavier Sherlock all lifted their work rate around the packs and the young Magpies were rewarded when Rex Hickman stood tall at centre half forward, booting two team lifting goals midway through the quarter, while a second goal to Lonergan and a great snap from Zac Warne meant the momentum was all with the home side.
The Bulldogs’ defence was under siege, but it could have been worse if it were not for the efforts of Pat and Angus Crowe and Harry Simpson, who continually repelled Lake Boga’s forward entries.
Tyntynder managed only a single major for the term when Woodward kicked a lovely 45-metre goal which cut the Magpies’ lead to just six points at the long break.
The third term saw the game go up a level as a spectacle, with both teams feverishly wanting the four points that was on offer and the crowd began to find their voice as Tyntynder lifted their work rate.
Reeves, Bibby, Sam Tozer and Sam Bull began to win the centre clearances and the match was again turned on its head.
Goals to Ford, Josh Potter and livewire Kyle Doran meant that the Bulldogs had now wrested back an 11-point lead midway through the quarter, but a late goal to the talented Noah Sherlock meant the game was once again in the balance at the last change.
Big crowds surrounded both huddles as the coaches demanded their players put their bodies over the ball and to make sure of their disposals by both hand and foot.
Unfortunately for the Magpies, the last term would be Tyntynder’s best for the day as they booted five goals to two, with Ware kicking two majors to make it five for the afternoon in a best on ground performance.
Lake Boga’s defence was now the one under pressure with Rory Colville working overtime at centre half back and he could hold his head high having continually repelled the Bulldogs in an impressive display.
Other Magpies to work hard in this final term were Hickman and youngsters Chad O’Sullivan and Maximus Caruso, along with Darby Hayes who went onto the ball in an effort to stop the bleeding out of the middle.
It would be the experience of Ware, Reeves, Bibby and Ford that proved too much for Lake Boga as they combined beautifully in the last term to snuff out any thought of a miraculous comeback, thus ensuring Tyntynder could celebrate a much-needed confidence building victory.
SCORES
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final Score |
| Lake Boga | 3.3 | 7.5 | 8.8 | 10.10 | 70 |
| Tyntynder | 5.1 | 6.5 | 9.7 | 14.9 | 93 |
VOTES
3 – Elia Ware (Tyntynder)
2 – Bailey Reeves (Tyntynder)
1 – Rex Hickman (Lake Boga)
