By Lachlan Mitchell
Doveton has continued its winning ways with a dispatching of Highett at Turner Road Reserve on Saturday.
The Doves faced a Highett side that had also dropped down from division one to feature in division two for the 2022 season.
Highett put the fight right up to the Doves in the first quarter to trail by two points at the first break.
A second-quarter drive by Doveton saw them raise the bar and kick away from an aggressive Highett outfit.
Doveton kicked seven goals in the second term to lead by an even six goals at the main break.
The game continued to fall Doveton’s way with a seven to three goal third quarter seeing the margin stretch out to 67 at the final break.
Travis Woodfield finished the day with five goals, while player-coach Michael Cardamone chimed in with three goals of his own to lead Doveton to a 73-point win.
The result sees Doveton move to a 7-0 start to season 2022.
Coach Cardamone is admiring his side’s intensity and resilience to stay strong in the fight.
“It was a pretty physical game on the weekend…Highett came out to play in that first quarter and took it up to us physically,” he said.
“It was good of our boys to adapt and respond physically to those conditions and it was good to come away with a 10-goal win.
“It’s always a challenge to face a side that came down from first division, we knew they would come out hard cause there season was on the line.
“They needed to get a win to keep in touch with the top five.”
The new Doves at the nest are in full flight with new names making an impact.
“We added 8-10 new players at the start of the season and it was always going to take time to adapt and find the best team,” Cardamone explained.
“We have only played 11 games of footy in 18-months, so it was always going to take time to gel and work together.
“On the weekend Trav (Woodfield) stepped up and kicked five, so it was really nice to see him perform well.”
Hampton Park had a fight on its hands when it faced the Caulfield Bears at Robert Booth Reserve.
The Redbacks had to overcome an 11-point three-quarter time deficit to fall narrowly short of Caulfield by two-points.
Steven Stredwick and Travis Davis both kicked three goals on the day.
Caulfield’s Jacob Buggy kicked four goals in his side’s nail-biting win.
Keysborough had to dig deep to hold off a formidable Skye outfit at Carrum Downs Reserve.
The Borough’s Timothy Werner kicked three goals in his side’s 26-point win.
Chelsea Heights made light work of Heatherton at Beazley Reserve.
The Demons were helped by former Melbourne Demon Luke Tapscott, as they found a way to traumatise Heatherton by 147-points in an overpowering performance.
Chelsea’s Shaun Chaseling kicked four goals in the big win.
Tapscott and Nathan Herrington both kicked three-goals each to seal the four points.
SOUTHERN DIVISION ONE
ROUND- 3 RESULTS
Chelsea Heights 22.30.162 v Heatherton 2.3.15, Hampton Park 12.10.82 v Caulfield 13.6.84, Highett 10.3.63 v Doveton Doves 20.16.136, Skye 7.5.47 v Keysborough 10.13.73 Bye: East Brighton.
LADDER
Doveton Doves 28, Chelsea Heights 24, Keysborough 16, Caulfield Bears 16, East Brighton 14, Hampton Park 14, Highett 12, Skye 0, Heatherton 0.
FIXTURE – ROUND 9
SATURDAY, 4 JUNE
East Brighton v Chelsea Heights, Doveton Doves v Caulfield Bears, Heatherton v Skye, Keysborough v Highett Bye: Hampton Park.
