Diggers Rest played some of its best football in 2017 when it edged out Romsey by 10-points at home to secure third spot on RDFNL Senior ladder.

The Burras led the Redbacks by as much as 19-points in the second quarter on its way to securing a 10.16 (76) to 10.6 (66) win.

PRE GAME

- China defeated Indonesia in the curtain raiser by 67-points; 10.9 (69) to 0.2 (2) in Round Three of the International Cup.

- Romsey wore its blue clash jumper.

1ST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Romsey kicked to the kindergarten end of the ground; the direction of the wind. It generally blows to the Primary School pocket.

- Romsey’s Jimmy Carroll kicked the opening goal of the game from outside 50 at the 90 second mark. Romsey 6-0

- Diggers Rest’s Lachie Langford kicks his team’s first goal of the game at the nine-point mark to open up a one-point lead. Diggers Rest 8-7.

- Carroll kicks his second goal of the game for Romsey; outside 50; to put the game back in his team’s favour by four points at the 14.5-minute mark.

- Diggers Rest utility Chris Lawton kicks the goal of the day at the 18.5-minute mark. Lawton defended the ball against two opponents at a marking contest 30 metres out from goal; knocked the ball to ground; gathered and turned around to take on both opponents and goal from 20 metres out on the run. Diggers Rest 16-13

Score – Diggers Rest 2.4.16 v Romsey 2.1.13

#Stoppages – 12

#Quarter length – 25 minutes

Leading goal kicker – Carroll (Romsey – two goals) Biggest lead – Romsey – six points SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Diggers Rest forward Mick Kilty kicks his first goal of the game at the 1.5-minute mark. Diggers Rest 22-13.

- Romsey celebrate the team ‘goal of the day’ at the 5.5-minute mark. Aaron Paterson prevents the ball from going through for a point in the right forward pocket; before running around the point post; picking up the ball and spotting up team mate Jackson Mills; who kicks a goal from a set shot. Diggers Rest 23-19.

- Michael Evans goals on the run for the Burras at the 9.5-minute mark. Diggers Rest 30-19.

- Mark Freeth goals from a mark and 50-metre penalty for Diggers Rest to extend the lead out to a game-high margin of 18-points at the 15.5-minute mark. Diggers Rest 37 to 19.

- Harrison Notman goals from a free-kick and 50-metre penalty after being pushed in the back at the 24.5-minute mark. Diggers Rest 37 to 24.

- Jack O’Sullivan cuts the Diggers Rest defense in half with a goal on the run at the 27-minute mark. Diggers Rest 38 to 32.

Score – Diggers Rest 5.8.38 to 5.2.32

Romsey’s midfielders attempt to pass to Aaron Paterson; the smallest player on the ground; with multiple opponents inside 50 on at least three occasions; resulting in crucial turn-overs. Stoppages – 8 (20) Quarter length – 28.5 minutes Leading goal kicker – Carroll (two-goals – Romsey) Biggest lead – Diggers Rest 19-points at 18-minute mark. Tom Gleeson (Diggers Rest) off with hamstring injury THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Jamie Lobb kicks opening goal of half at 2.5-minute mark after receiving handball from Chris Lawton. Diggers Rest 44-32.

- Nathan Rayment (general play) and Jackson Mills (free-kick) kick back-to-back goals in 90 seconds to level the scores at the 6.5-minute mark. Scores level – 42-42

- Cam McCabe goals on the run for Diggers Rest at 11.5-minute mark. Diggers Rest 50-44.

- Mick Kilty kicks second goal from a free-kick after Romsey’s Chris Burkett kicks the ball to himself from a kick-in and is tackled by Kilty 15 metres out from goal. Kilty makes amends for his miss moments earlier with a goal. Diggers Rest 57-44.

- James Carroll kicks a pair in the space of 60-seconds up to the 17.5-minute mark as the margin is cut back to one-point. Diggers Rest 57-56.

Score – Diggers Rest 8.10.58 v Romsey 9.2.56

Mark Freeth takes a 50 metre penalty mid-way through the term for Diggers Rest; jogs to 20 metres out after players tangle in the middle of the ground; Romsey’s Rowan Stott runs to take the mark at the last second; and Freeth kicks the ball into him after a near certain goal. Stoppages – 19 (49) Quarter length – 27.5 minutes Biggest lead – Diggers Rest – 13-points at 13.5-minute mark. Steve Ruane (Diggers Rest) off with hamstring injury at 26-minute mark. Leading goal kicker – Carroll (Romsey – four goals) FINAL QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Jack O’Sullivan puts the Redbacks in front at the 11-minute mark from a mark and 50-metre penalty. Romsey 63-60

- Jamie Lobb (Diggers Rest) hits the ground face first from the following centre-bounce. He is motionless.

- Stuart Clarke kicks a goal from a set-shot as play continues in Diggers Rest’s forward line. Diggers Rest 66-63.

- Jamie Lobb stretchered from the ground. Play stops from 12 to 15-minute mark.

- Lachie Langford launches to the heavens for a big mark in the left-forward-pocket for Diggers Rest. He kicks truly at the 21-minute mark to extend the lead to 10-points. Diggers Rest 73-63.

- Both teams kick three-points each in the final nine-minutes of the game.

Final score – Diggers Rest 10.16 (76) defeated Romsey 10.6 (76)

Stoppages 19 Quarter length – 31 minutes Leading goal kicker – James Carroll (Romsey – four goals) POST GAME

Stoppages – 53 Match length – 112 minutes Biggest lead – Diggers Rest – 19 points at 18-minute mark of second term. Lead Level – 6.5-minutes

Diggers Rest – 93-minutes

Romsey – 12.5-minutes

HOW GOALS WERE KICKED

Diggers Rest***

Mark – 5

Play – 4

Free – 1

Inc. 50 metre penalties – 1

Romsey***

Mark – 5

Play – 2

Free – 3

Inc. 50 metre penalties – 2

Stuart Clarke – Diggers Rest

“I think a couple of times in the last quarter, we just rushed the ball, we were 10-points up and we tried to play pretty footy when we were absolutely wrecked.”

Written by Chris Yeend & Originally published by AFL Goldfields 14/8/2017 @ http://www.aflgoldfields.com.au/rdfnl-features-news/869-burras-hold-off-redbacks