David Braithwaite
RELATED: Magpies on top
MAFFRA kept Wonthaggi goal-less for two quarters to give the Power its first home loss of the Gippsland League football season.
Leading by just one point at quarter-time, the Eagles didn’t concede a goal until the final term on their way to a 51-point victory, 11.14 (80) to 3.11 (29).
Following their first win away from home this season, the Eagles are now in second place on the ladder.
Returning to the side along with John Butcher, Jack Johnstone was a more than solid presence across half-back for the Eagles in the absence of the suspended James Huts.
Ed and Alex Carr, and Danny Butcher were pivotal in giving the visitors dominance of the midfield contests.
Daniel Bedggood kicked three goals, and Alex Carr and Andrew Petrou booted two each.
The Eagles looked set to again be challenged at Wonthaggi, and edged further ahead in the second term, kicking two unanswered goals to take a 16-point lead into half-time.
The Power had enough of the ball, but couldn’t convert that into goals. The hosts only managed five behinds during the third term, as Maffra kicked 2.3 to stretch its lead to 26 points by three-quarter-time.
The Eagles squashed any hope of a final quarter comeback by the Power, adding five goals to one.
Wonthaggi’s best players were defenders Tim Knowles and Josh Bates, and onballer Aiden Lindsay.
With back-to-back wins, the Eagles will be tested next weekend, when they host Moe.
DESPITE kicking less goals, Bairnsdale defeated Traralgon by three points.
The Redlegs trailed by 10 points at three-quarter-time, but finished strongly to win 9.21 (75) to 10.12 (72) and move into fifth spot.
The home team would have won by more, having kicked 2.10 to 1.3 in the final term.
Josh Whykes and Liam Giove were Bairnsdale’s best players, with Brayden McCarrey and Kieran Vickery kicking four goals each.
Chris Thuring and Gavin Stevenson led the way for the Maroons, who are on the bottom of the ladder with just one win.
WARRAGUL moved off the bottom of the ladder after defeating Morwell for its second win of the season.
The Gulls won at home 8.7 (55) to 7.7 (49), with Ben Hughes kicking three goals.
Matt Rennie was a crucial role for Warragul at centre half-back in the low-scoring match.
LEONGATHA overcame a slow start to win at Drouin.
The Hawks began brightly, kicking six goals to one in the first quarter, but only added three goals while the Parrots booted 11 more to win by 21 points, 12.15 (87) to 9.12 (66).
Cameron Olden and Josh Schelling led the Leongatha resurgence, while Lachlan Wright kicked four goals.
Nathan Guy was Drouin’s best player, with Bailey Beck booting three goals.
