Timboon Demons jump Nirranda to break three-game losing streak and send warning to competition

A blistering 18-7 first quarter saw the Demons get the jump on the Warrnambool and District league's reigning premiers and only remaining undefeated side.

Sinnott said she saw an opportunity to strike early when the Blues started the game with Townsend, last year's WDFNL sharp shooter award-winner, on the bench.

Nirranda's playing-coach would go on to score 27 goals in a best on performance, but Timboon's 11-goal opening term buffer would be enough for it to carve out a memorable 51-43 win and emphatically break a three-game losing streak with the league's biggest scalp.

"It's great to beat the benchmark of the competition, but it's more pleasing to put four quarters in given we had bad lapses over the last three weeks," Sinnott said.

"We were patient in attack and worked the ball through all game. With the heat and everything else the girls really dug deep. Our timing was spot on, our defensive turning was great and we shot well."

Wing attack Raina Hunt was best on for Timboon, according to Sinnott.

"She was outstanding with strong drive and second efforts," the Demons mentor said.

"But Hayley Plozza (goal attack) was also strong, adding a composed head and making sure we re-worked the ball rather than trying to force it in.

"Everyone was really stoked after the game, especially since they came up against an old teammate (Cloe Marr).

"I knew we were good enough to beat the top sides, but now they've proved themselves. And seeing what they're capable of was the most rewarding part."

Old Collegians drew level on points with Nirranda after a 55-49 victory over Russells Creek.

Warriors coach Meagan Forth said despite the fact the Creekers sat outside the WDNFL's top five, her side paid the Thalia Robertson-coached outfit plenty of respect and knew full well the threat posed by goal shooter Sarah Forbes.

And while Forbes managed to put away 40 goals, a powerful second quarter from Old Collegians set up its six-goal win.

"We just brought lots of pressure through the midcourt," Forth said.

"Sarah shot really well for them, so we just tried to cut the ball off before it got to her."

Forth was pleased with her side's versatility, after Sara Quinn, Nicole O'Shannessy, Emily Porra and Vanessa McLaren all successfully rotated through defence, but hoped the Warriors could improve their transition into attack.

"Creek did well early to make us rush," she said.

"They put pressure over the ball didn't let us lead where we wanted to go.

"It's a tight competition right now, which is exciting.

"The past couple of years it's been hard to get near the dominant sides like Nirranda and Dennington, but from the top down to maybe seventh it's really competitive."

Merrivale, directed by Carly Peake's basketball-style tactics, reversed a four-goal opening term deficit to run out 44-31 winners against Kolora-Noorat.

The code-hopping coach said her Tigers side had been focused on perfecting the basics for the opening phase of the season, with the results on show in the last few weeks.

"Now we'll move on to some more structured things, working with our goalies, defenders and mids in their specific areas," Peake said.

"Just angles that good passes come from and good positions for the goalies to get into. So we'll work a bit with Tanaya (Harradine) and Millie (Mahony) and them using each others' bodies as screens.

"I'm definitely more of a basketballer than a netballer. The girls laugh about it all the time, but it works, so we'll keep rolling with it.

"Defensively we're trying to play a man-on-man style at the moment...but we also want to bring in a zone-type structure to guard space and force bad passes."

Power coach Kym Goonan said Lauren Williams, who played both goal shooter and goal attack, was a real force for Kolora-Noorat and provided plenty of options when play was congested.

But she said the game was won and lost in the third term, when the Tigers enjoyed a purple patch and forged an insurmountable 10-goal lead.

"We kept pushing until the final siren," Goonan said.

"Every week we stay positive right to the end, which I'm very happy about.

"But we were just beaten by a better side on the day."

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