Australian Football

Match Report

We follow the ABC television cameras up north to the Playford Alive Oval where the Bulldogs faced the Magpies. The Dogs have been a source of pain for the Maggies for the last four years... the last 11 games have been all victories to Centrals, including the Round 5 clash earlier this season which Port were beaten by 41 points at Alberton. Despite their defeat of the Panthers last week, only a top-three scalp would give their suffering fans something to really cheer about.

Port opened proceedings by booting two unanswered goals early on, it took until 16 minutes for the Dogs to bag one themselves. At quarter-time, the Magpies held a one-goal lead with the scoreboard reading 4.1 to 3.1. The Dogs managed to kick back in the second term, scoring 3.3 to 2.1 to lead by two points at the long break, only their turnover rate preventing a bigger gap. The arm-wrestle would continue in the third term, the Dogs tally of their entrances into their attacking 50-metre arc not being reflected on the scoreboard as the Pies kept in touch. Centrals stretched the gap to nine points by three quarter-time after adding 3.2 to Port's 2.1. The Magpies rallied in the final term, closing to within a kick of causing a massive upset at the cusp of time-on. But as quickly as they caught up, the Dogs kicked away to victory. They kicked 4.2 to 3.2 in the last quarter to rack up the dozen, a 15-point win sealing the deal.

James Boyd was voted best afield for the Bulldogs, while Steve Summerton was voted best for the Magpies.