Amy Pittman may have left it later for Warners Bay, slotting home a hat-trick in the final quarter of their contest against Terrigal Avoca, but a strong defensive performance had already all but secured the win.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bulldogs were able to keep the travelling Panthers to just two majors across all four quarters, with Emily Bryant scoring both for the now-twelfth placed club in the first and third.
It was actually Bryant’s first goal that opened the scoring between the two sides, before Kira Jones and Dianne Crep both scored for the home side at Feighan Park.
The Bulldogs took control of the match after that, with Samantha Delaney the lone scorer in the second quarter, before Tracy Baker and Kate Booth added to the haul in the third. Emma Chester and Chelsea Scott added one each late on in the win after Pittman’s seven minute hat-trick.
Elsewhere on Saturday as the stormy weather closed in, Newcastle City Stars were kept to just four goals to Wyong Lakes’ one at Don Small Oval, eventually leaving 4.8.32 to 1.4.10 victors. Ashlee Hayllar and Sarah Halvorsen were both influential in the Stars continuing their undefeated march towards the finals, bagging two apiece.
Nelson Bay also remain undefeated two months into the 2018 season, and launched themselves back into control at the top of the table with a 47-point win against third placed Gosford, 6.13.49 to 0.2.2.
Lauren Hughes kicked three for the Marlins, but it was the defensive efforts of Hayley West, Natasha Flint, Hughes, Kate Holland and Sophie Balcombe that were key in the second vs third clash that now puts an eight point gap between the two league leaders and the next four teams.
A team performance from Killarney Vale saw them down Maitland by 26 points at Max McMahon Oval, with six individual goalscorers for the Bombers providing the 6.9.45 to 2.7.19 scoreline. Jessie Burnham and Anna Fraser scored for the Saints.
Cardiff also continued their resurgent form with a 91-point victory at Passage Road against a struggling The Entrance Bateau Bay outfit. Although the southern squad has looked better on the park in recent weeks, the defeat still drops them to fourteenth on the ladder.
The Hawks’ best goalscorer was Taylah Wilks with four, while Faith Lewis bagged herself a hat-trick in the eighth round win. Young representative star Arizona Cross returned to the fold to be named one of the best on field alongside Wilks, Nicola Walker and Ellen Anderson.
Finally, the Singleton Roosterettes kept Lake Macquarie to just two goals at Rose Point Park, recording a 5.9.39 to 2.3.15 victory, while Port Stephens were kept scoreless in a 26.19.175 to 0.0.0 defeat at the hands of the Newcastle City Novas. Kate Handley scored seven for the Novas, while Audrey Gillingham, Erin White and Madeleine Porter all collected hat-trick hauls.
Muswellbrook won due to a forfeit by Wallsend-West Newcastle.
TABLE: Nelson Bay, Stars (32), Novas, Gosford, Singleton, Killarney Vale (24), Maitland, Wyong Lakes (20), Warners Bay (16), Cardiff, Muswellbrook (12), Terrigal Avoca (8), Port Stephens, The Entrance Bateau Bay (4), Lake Macquarie, Wallsend-West Newcastle (0).