Russells Creek defeated Allansford Cats in WDFNL round 12

The Creekers won a 15.7 (97) to 3.7 (25) battle against fellow finals contender Allansford on Saturday at Allansford Recreation Reserve.

While stoked with the win, coach Peter Timms knows it's just the beginning as the sixth-ranked Creekers strive to make finals.

"We know we've got a lot of work to do, Nirranda is a very good side and we'll start preparing for that this week, even though we've got the bye," he said.

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Timms said he would likely have most of his players available.

"We'll have the break now and we'll come back to play Nirranda at home at full-strength nearly so that'll be interesting because we haven't had it (at full-strength)," he said.

Knocking off one of the top sides is on the Creekers' agenda.

"This group knows we're not out of the finals, we're back a bit (on the ladder) but all we've got to do is knock off one or two of those top sides - which we've come close to in the past anyway - to actually get in there," Timms said.

"We've got the hunger for it now."

It was a tough day for Allansford.

Not only did the loss hurt their finals chances, they came away with injuries.

Tyler Mungean was taken to hospital by ambulance after sustaining a knee injury before half-time.

Coach Ben Price said Joe Meade came off with concussion.

"Tyler Mungean has done what looks to be potentially a medial ligament," Price said.

"Joe Meade had delayed concussion from an incident early in the last (quarter) and then five minutes later came to the bench and collapsed."

Price said Meade appeared okay after the match but felt he would definitely need the 14 days of recovery.

The Cats mentor said his team was beaten by a better side on the day.

"Our first half of the season was going really well but we've just dropped off," he said.

"I haven't changed anything, I'm not sure whether I should have, we've kept doing the same things but we're just not getting the results."

Price said the Cats' round 13 match against Panmure was now a must-win.

"If we sat and looked at the last eight rounds, we have games that you work towards more, Panmure was a halfway one - now it's got to be a win," he said.

The Cats coach added Lachlan Read, a bottom-age under 18 player - was fantastic in his first senior game.

Creek had the ascendancy from the outset with much of the attacking play in the first half.

Jyran Chatfield was taking strong marks on the lead and could have kicked 10 goals for the day if not for missing some set shots.

Meanwhile, Hampden league recruit Dan Nicholson was named best player and had a huge influence on the match.

He provided dash and was clean by foot from half-back.

Another recruit, Xavier McCartney, kicked a goal in his first game for the year.

Timms said the victory was a long time coming for his side which hadn't won since beating Dennington in round five.

The coach was pleased his side wrestled back the momentum when the Cats made a charge in the third quarter.

"We still probably had a 10-minute lapse just after half-time where they kicked a couple but this time we were able to wrestle the momentum back whereas in the past we would let them get four or five (goals)," he said.

Timms felt the group was better prepared for its match this week.

"We had our players and coaches feedback session and all the players gave each other a couple of positives and something to work on - not a negative because I don't like that word," he said.

"And they gave the coaches a bit of feedback as well.

"So we put all that together and got prepared a lot earlier..."

The Russells Creek mentor feels that has had a positive impact already.

"The players have taken a fair bit of it on board and the group know we're probably not sitting on the ladder where we wanted to be," he said.

Russells Creek 3.2, 6.6, 7.6, 15.7 (97)

Allansford 0.3, 0.3, 3.6, 3.7 (25)

GOALS

Russells Creek : Jyran Chatfield 6, Thomas Smith 3, Zac Timms 2, Samual Alberts 1, Taylem Wason 1, Matthew Rook 1, Xavier McCartney 1

Allansford : Benjamin Harding 1, Dylan Cross 1, Brett Hunger 1

BEST

Russells Creek : Daniel Nicholson, Dylan Burns, Darcy McDonough, Taylem Wason, Dylan Herbertson, Jyran Chatfield

Allansford : Travis Membrey, Zavier Mungean, Lachlan Read, Benjamin Lenehan, Justin Fedley, Brett Hunger

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