THE Donald Royal Blues’ 2016 season and premiership ambitions have come to a crashing halt at the hands of the Birchip-Watchem Bulls in the first week of the North Central Football League finals.
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The stand-alone seniors fixture finished 9.9 (63) to 8.10 (58) in the Bulls’ favour at Charlton Park.
With the season of both sides on the line in the first semi-final, the game was always going to tough right from the start.
Donald started as favourites but it was the Bulls that came out strongest to kick the first two goals of the match.
It was not until halfway through the quarter that Donald registered its first goal.
One more for each side to end the quarter saw the Bulls lead 3.2 (20) to 2.2 (14) at quarter time.
After the first break, it was Donald that came out stronger but the Royal Blues failed to fully capitalise.
Donald held a strong territorial advantage but could only manage one goal and five behinds for the quarter.
Defensively, Donald continued to hold strong, only allowing a solitary behind to the Bulls for the quarter.
Donald’s four-point lead at half-time would not have felt a just reward for the way the side played during the quarter.
Playing game 100 for the Royal Blues, Bryan Beckham kicked the first goal of the second half to give his side some breathing space.
It looked like it could have been another low-scoring quarter before Brendon George kicked his first for the game 10 minutes later.
It was the Bulls’ first goal since the first quarter, but Donald added two more of its own before the end of the term, prompting some nervous glances among Bulls supporters.
A 16-point margin at the final break may not have seemed large, but it was the highest of a low-scoring contest, giving Donald a degree of confidence.
Having only kicked four goals through the first three quarters, the Bulls needed something to happen quickly.
George was the man to make that something happen as he kicked two goals within the first five minutes to bring the underdogs back to within three points.
Seamus Young kicked a steadier for Donald halfway through the quarter but the Bulls proceeded to pile on the next three goals and opened up a nine-point lead.
Callum Atkinson and Jack Wilson kicked the first two for the Bulls before it was George again popping up to give the Bulls the unlikely nine-point margin.
Not to be outdone, Donald fought hard to win the clearance and moved the ball forward.
Samuel Dunstan kicked truly for Donald to bring the margin back under a goal with minutes remaining.
It was not enough, as the Bulls managed to hold on to register the club’s first finals win since 2008.
It was a disappointing way for Donald’s season to end having been the only team to beat minor premiers Wycheproof-Narraport during the regular rounds.