ST BEDES / MENTONE TIGERS CLOSER TO SAFETY

Andrew Leonard

In Premier De La Salle hosted Caulfield Grammarians and it was another percentage boosting win for the home side as they kicked away to win by 57 points. Old Trinity were visited by the reigning premiers Collegians and despite a better showing at home this week, they couldn’t stop the men in purple triumphing by 22 points. 
St Bedes / Mentone Tigers entertained Old Scotch and it was a solid win for the home side by a final margin of 42 points. University Blues and St Bernards did battle at the University Oval, in a low scoring game it was the visitors who ran out winners by 19 points. Tomorrow at Sportscover its Old Xaverians hosting Old Carey, the game starts at 1.20 and entry is free. 

Premier B action had Beaumaris at home to bottom placed Old Ivanhoe and Beauy’s 107 point win solidifies their spot in the top three. AJAX faced Oakleigh at home, and Oakleigh’s late bid for survival has taken a setback losing to AJAX by just eight points, Payman with six goals for the winners.  Fourth placed Old Melbournians were no match for top spot’s Uni Blacks as Black dominated to win by eight goals. 
Werribee Districts were paid a visit by a desperate Old Haileybury who snaffled a win by two goals to keep their September hopes alive. St Kevin’s played their home match at Sportscover arena against a fast finishing Old Brighton but with Phil Edgar kicking six for SKOBs to secure a 52 point win and it sees Old Melburnians to stay a game clear in fourth despite their loss. 

In Premier C the match of the round was Fitzroy’s trip to Marcellin, with the home side finding enough form to secure the four points and a 15-point margin at the final siren. Top placed Parkdale Vultures had an easy time of it, winning by 59 points against Monash Blues who tonight are confirmed as the second team relegated from Premier C. 
Mathematical chances of survival for Hampton Rovers evaporated last week but they put up good performance against n the second half to visiting Mazenod, however it didn’t stop the visitors recording an eight goal win. Finals chasing Banyule hosted the side they would hope to replace Old Camberwell at Rick Brockwell Oval and they took a step in the right direction with the Wellers up and down season continuing – this time down by 35 points. 
Rupertswood hosted PEGS in Sunbury and it’s a tough trip to make with the home side winning by 22 points to keep their finals aspirations in tact. Premier C is a tight race for finals positions. There are now four teams on 28 points chasing Old Camberwell on 30 points for the fourth spot and Fitzroy on 32 points are looking vulnerable. 

Division 1 saw top placed NOB/ St Pat’s host Whitefriars and the home side continued its solid winning form to get up by seven goals. Old Geelong were paid a visit from Williamstown CYMS, with the Como Park side al but securing finals actions thanks to a six goal margin. Ormond face Peninsula and the visiting side were too good to win by 70 points. 
MHSOB played St Johns at the High School and the home side will be relieved to win by three goals. Old Mentonians hosted Glen Eira side that have found something to win two in a row and jump a game clear of the relegation places winning by the smallest margin in football. 

In Division 2, what a night it will be at the Power Hose Function Centre as South Melbourne Districts celebrate their centenary year with a monstrous 11 goal win over St Mary’s Salesian. They have momentum to stay in the section and move out of the relegation places at the expense of Emmaus St Leo’s who lost by 10 goals to top placed Buleen Templestowe. Therry Penola inspired by the visit of VAFA TV during the week accounted for bottom placed La Trobe University by 49 points – Bannister kicked five for the victors. 
Prahran Assumption had a solid 32-point win against fifth placed Monash Gryphons who drop to sixth tonight. Eltham Collegians are proving they will be a good side in September with a low-scoring 21-point win over fourth placed Old Paradians. 

Division 3, Aquinas won again, this time by a bigger margin than the solitary point last week, a three-goal margin against Elsternwick enough to secure them in the five. Yarra Valley thumped the third placed UHS-VU who has struggled in recent weeks by 96 points. Hawthorn continued their form renaissance proving they will be unlucky to be relegated – on form at least – defeating the likely beneficiary of their demotion Old Westbourne by 39 points. 
Ivanhoe continued their solid form with a 20-point win at Albert Park, (Ash Close kicked just three to move to 89). Kew won the lowest scoring game of the day 35 to 25 over the visiting Richmond Central and the Bears maintain their game buffer in the five tonight. St Francis Xavier have put on a fine display to defeat Power House by 64 points. 

In Division 4 Eley Park Sharks defeated Point Cook by 26 points, while in the Brunswick derby it was the West who beat the North by four goals. Box Hill North defeated Mt Lilydale by 22 points and Swinburne University account for Chadstone by the comfortable margin of 76 points. South Mornington found themselves back on the winners list with a 51-point win over Manningham Cobras.