By Adrian Ceddia
ALBANVALE has stretched its winning streak in the Western Region Football League Division Two competition to five matches after dethroning Wyndhamvale on Saturday.
The previously undefeated Falcons lost top spot after being handed a comprehensive 58-point defeat by the rejuvenated Cobras.
Albanvale was led by a brilliant individual game from Justin Henderson, who bagged four first half goals including three in the vital second quarter.
Disappointingly for the Falcons, their most productive quarter was the first, where they kicked four of their eventual total of 11.
They led by nine points at quarter time before the Henderson-inspired Cobras kicked six goals in the second to lead by 17 points at the main break.
Wyndhamvale did its best to stay in the contest in the third, but Albanvale answered every challenge and was on track to cause the upset when it held a five-goal buffer with a quarter to play.
Mark Basaraba kicked three important goals at full forward for Albanvale, while Steven Cook toiled hard as one the best in a losing side for Wyndhamvale.
Glenorden took full advantage of the Falcons’ slip-up to move a game clear at the top of the table after maintaining its unbeaten status with an easy win over Coburg Districts.
Districts were still in the contest to half time but the Hawks corrected their accuracy on goal in the last to pull away and win by 69 points.
Deer Park notched its second win on the trot when it accounted for Braybrook by 108 points in a one-sided affair.
The Lions had plenty of options to call on in front of goals, with Steven Rizzo leading the way with five majors.
Gladstone Park is still knocking on the door of the top eight after a competitive but unsuccessful venture to Sunshine Heights, the Burra going down by 13 points.
The match turned out to be a battle of the two in-form full forwards, with Robert Greto kicking eight for the Heights and Heath Shephard booting six for Gladstone Park. The Burra trailed by a single point at three-quarter time before being run over in the final term.
Steven Lane smashed West Footscray’s record for an individual goalkicking performance, bagging 16 in the Roosters’ amazing 51-goal game against lowly Brunswick Power. Lane took his season tally past 50 with the incredible haul, while Lucas McGhie snared 12 goals of his own.
North Footscray continued North Sunshine’s tough demotion year by handing out a 20-point defeat, while Central Altona took care of Western Magpies by 37 points in the round’s other match.
