Diggers Rest bounced back from its disappointing loss to Rupertswood in Round 11 with a spirited come-from-behind win against the all-conquering Macedon.

The Burras have had the wood over the previously unbeaten Cats for the best part of a decade; and showed outstanding confidence in the final term to seal a 20-point victory. Macedon led by as much as 16-points early in the final term before the reigning premiers kicked the final six-goals of the game.

FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Tom Taylor roves from the ball from a boundary throw-in 30 metres out from the Burra’s goal and kicks the opening goal of the game. Diggers Rest lead 8 to 0 at the 10.5 minute mark.

- Josh Wallace marks close to goal for Diggers Rest and kicks truly at the 21.5 minute mark as the Cats are outclassed and yet to kick a score. Diggers Rest lead 15 to 0.

- Erroll McConnell breaks takes the ball out of the next ruck contest and kicks a long goal for the immediate reply at the 22 minute mark. Macedon trail 6 to 15.

- Jason Cooke makes his mark on the game with a booming goal from outside 60 just one-minute later. Macedon trail 12 to 15.

Quarter-time: Diggers Rest 2.3 (15) to 2.0 (12)

This was the first time that Macedon lost a first quarter in 2017 and also its lowest quarter-time score for the season. SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Al Collins gathers the ball in the right forward pocket and kicks a goal on the run to put the Cats ahead with its third unanswered goal in the space of 5.5 minutes – Macedon lead 18 to 15.

- Cooke kicks his second to put the lead out to nine-points for the visitors.

- Goals to Josh Wallace (his second) and Mark Freeth in the space of five minutes have the the Burras ahead by two-points.

- McConnell kicks his second goal on the run for the Cats who take back the lead at the 21.5- minute mark.

- Ryan Fischer marks and kicks a goal after the half-time siren to send the Cats out to a 10-point lead.

Macedon 6.2 (38) v Diggers Rest 4.4 (28)

Diggers Rest in front for 31 of 47.5 minutes for the first half THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Both teams struggle to find the goals early.

- Matt Knox kicks a point from a set-shot at the six-minute mark of the term for the Cats.

- Diggers Rest midfielder Cam McCabe kicks the ball into Macedon’s Chad Walker on the mark from the resulting kick-in. Walker gathers and snaps around the body from less than 10 metres out as Macedon lead by a game-high margin 16-points.

- Matt Krul kicks Diggers Rest’s fifth goal at the 12 minute mark of the term; its first in 18.5-minutes ,

- Stuart Clarke kicks a goal from a 50-metre penalty for the Burra to cut the margin back to three-points.

- Jason Cooke replies at the other end for Macedon thanks to a 50-metre penalty of his own just three-minutes later to push the margin back out to nine-points.

- Diggers Rest kick the last goal of the term thanks to a booming kick from Brandon Kilty to cut the margin to four-points heading into the last change.

Macedon 8.4 (52) lead Diggers Rest 7.6 (48)

FINAL QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Macedon’s Shaun Harrison kicks arguably the goal of the year to start the final term. Harrison sprinted through the corridor; handballing to three team-mates and finishing his fourth touch from the passage of play with a goal from close range as the Cats set up a 10-point lead.

- Jason Cooke kicks his fourth goal at the six-minute mark of the final term as the Cats look home with a 16-point lead. This was their last goal of the game.

- Diggers Rest enjoy a purple patch from the 11 minute mark of the term. It kicks five goals in 10-minutes; all from set-shots; all from different players.

- During this onslaught; young gun Nathan Maisano has a set shot in the left-forward pocket that goes through the middle to put his team in front.

- Macedon is down to 17 men when Al Collins is yellow carded.

- Jordan Aitken kicks his second goal of the day on the run with moments to go as the Burras celebrate a 20-point win.

Diggers Rest 13.8 (86) defeated Macedon 10.6 (66)

STATS

#Lead

Match time – 98.5 minutes

- Macedon: 45 minutes

- Scores level – 3 minutes

- Diggers Rest – 40.5 minutes

Biggest lead - Macedon – 16 points (twice)

- Diggers Rest – 20 points (full-time)

How goals kicked Diggers Rest Mark – 8

Free – 1

Play – 4

Macedon Mark – 3

Play – 7

Nathan Maisano – Diggers Rest

" It was a good win; if it wasn’t for the midfield and defence, we wouldn’t have been in the game," Maisano says

Written by Chris Yeend & Originally published by AFL Goldfields 10/7/2017 @ http://www.aflgoldfields.com.au/rdfnl-news/720-burras-outmuscle-cats