One for the skipper: Bloods' win dedicated to captain

TERANG Mortlake honoured captain Patrick Heffernan by answering its first big test of the season on Saturday at Reid Oval.Heffernan played his 150th game against Warrnambool, leading the Bloods onto the ground in the 2008 grand final replay.Terang Mortlake was pushed all the way by the home side before surging clear in the final quarter for a 16.17 (113) to 11.12 (78) result which preserved its perfect record.Injured coach Matthew Irving dedicated the win to Heffernan."Pat does a lot for this club," he said. "He's a quiet achiever."We certainly rate him very highly."Heffernan played onball and in attack but showed his experience late in the third quarter as Warrnambool pressed by pushing down back and shoring up Terang Mortlake's defence.The winning side's outstanding onballer was Nick Couch, who took advantage of some decisive ruck work from Zac Pickett to spark the two most productive scoring runs of the contest.Couch was at the heart of a five-goal blitz from his team at the start of the second quarter after Terang Mortlake trailed 3.4 to 1.9 at the first break.Ten minutes into the second period it led 6.11 to 3.5 as Damian O'Connor and Brett Membrey found their goalscoring range.Warrnambool fought back with late goals to vice-captain Josh Walters and key forward Jason Rowan.The Blues trailed 7.13 to 6.8 at the long break and were still within striking distance after an even third quarter in which both sides kicked 2.2.But Terang Mortlake's ability to win clean possession out of the centre square enabled it to make the decisive break in the final quarter, kicking the first four goals of the term. Couch was again the common denominator, winning contested possession in the midfield then delivering with precision to the forwards.He also had luck on his side at the five-minute mark, with a floating miskick from half-forward finding its way between two defenders into the arms of teammate Joel Crawley.Crawley's impact off the bench in his first senior appearance was timely in a forward structure missing Irving and Darren Little. He kicked three of his side's seven fourth-quarter goals to lock in the Bloods' fourth consecutive win.Centre half-forward Josh Baxter stepped up for the visitors in the second half with four goals.O'Connor's three goals in six minutes early in the second quarter were crucial. Membrey's defensive pressure set the tone for the Bloods to win some crucial turnovers in Warrnambool's back third, which Blues coach Adam Dowie conceded were costly for his side.Dowie said Terang Mortlake and Koroit were established HFNL forces but his young side was still learning.Among the individual positives on Saturday were the growing maturity of young Warrnambool onballer Damien McCorkell and the poise of first gamer Joe Higgins - both under 18's players.Higgins played at half-forward, won plenty of contested football for the Blues and had three clear goalscoring opportunities, converting one.