Having won comfortably against Kangaroo Flat on Saturday, Kyneton senior footballers know they are in for a tough encounter against fourth-placed Strathfieldsaye this weekend.
After a sluggish start to the season, the Tigers are back in finals contention, buoyed by narrow victories against Gisborne (two points) and Eaglehawk (one point).
The catch-cry of Kyneton supporters is simple – ‘Keep winning’.
So the clash at Strathfieldsaye is one that both sides have invested in as far as getting four points is concerned.
The match at the Kyneton Showgrounds last Saturday loomed as a tricky one, with the Kangaroos obviously improving with the scalp of Eaglehawk to their credit.
A slippery surface did not make things easy, and there were passages of congested football in the first half, with just six goals scored to that stage. The home side led by 13 points.
A good third term saw the visitors restricted to four points, and Kyneton had the match virtually wrapped up on a day where forwards battled to pose problems for defenders.
Harry Huntley continued his recent good form, and Hamish Yunghanns won plenty of possessions and Bailey McGee, Mitch Comben, Mason Crozier and Jake Safstrom proved their worth once again.
The match fizzled out with the Tigers scoring three last quarter goals, to two by the opposition.
Cam Manuel, following his after-the-siren heroics at Eaglehawk, finished with three goals and is Kyneton’s leading goalkickers in a season where forwards are not producing bags of goals.
Strathfieldsaye had a good workout for the encounter with Kyneton, thrashing Maryborough by 134 points.
Keeping vastly experienced Strathfieldsaye spearhead Lachlan Sharp in check may be vital to Kyneton’s prospects on Saturday.
Despite being restricted to a solitary goal in the second half, Kyneton Reserves hung on to beat Kangaroo Flat by two points.
The Tiger Reserves are now in fifth spot on the ladder.
Kyneton Under 18s won their fourth match for the season, running away in the second half to prevail 7.7 to 2.4.
The young Strathfieldsaye side is ahead of the Tigers on percentage, with both sides keen to collect the points this weekend.
