Euroa is back on the winners’ list following a second-quarter blitz against Benalla.
After losing their tight round five match against Shepparton by 13 points, the Magpies were keen to come out firing at home during their round six Goulburn Valley Football League clash against the Saints.
Meanwhile, Benalla, who has struggled in the majority of its first five matches this season, was eager to show that the Saints aren’t the competition’s percentage booster.
The opening quarter was competitive and relatively even on the scoreboard with the Magpies taking a five-point lead into the first break.
Euroa was inaccurate early kicking 3.5, allowing Benalla to keep pace with the Magpies.
After quarter-time, the Magpies put the foot down scoring 46 points to 15 for the quarter with player-coach Ryan Pendlebury and forward Nate Trotter both kicking two goals in the term.
From there, Benalla had a mountain to climb if it was to get back into the match.
Euroa would be frustrated with the amount of wasted opportunities it had in front of goal in the second half (the Magpies kicked 3.13 across the third and fourth quarters), however, the Saints can take confidence from the fact they didn’t drop their head and won the second half 38-31.
For Euroa, it was the usual suspects among the best with gun midfielders Jett Trotter and Will Hayes impressing, while Pendlebury finished with a game-high four goals.
Speaking on Sunday, Pendlebury reflected on his team’s performance as he was glad Euroa’s missed shots on goal didn’t come back to haunt the Magpies.
“I suppose I’m happy and not happy,” he said.
“We had plenty of scoring shots, it’s pretty obvious that we didn’t convert.
“ Hopefully that is a simple fix and we can kick straighter.
“I thought‘ Barnsey’ (Michael Barnes) was really good again and he has probably been our best player the past four weeks.
“Tristan Davies up forward I think he is back to some of his best form and if he can kick a little bit straighter he can kick six (goals) instead of two.”
In a match between a top and a bottom side, players from the top side can sometimes feel overconfident and as if they have already won the game before the first bounce.
Pendlebury said his players were given a glimpse into this scenario during the reserves game after Euroa started with a bang.
“The reserves in the first quarter we watched them and I think they kicked three in two minutes and I think they thought ‘Oh this will be good we will win by 150 points’ (the Magpies still won the match but it was closer than expected),” he said.
“So that was kind of good where we thought let's make sure that doesn’t happen.
“I think we played pretty well but we just didn’t put it on the scoreboard, because when you don’t and then they kick one it feels like you are sort of losing even when you are controlling the play.”
Next weekend Euroa will have to be much more accurate in front of goal when it plays the in-form team in the league, Rochester.
Pendlebury isn’t too concerned heading into the match as he said the Magpies' preparation won’t differ from the standard procedure.
“It will be the same as every week,” he said.
“We will have a look at them and see what they do well, which is obviously a fair bit at the moment and then hopefully find a few things that they don’t do so well and capitalise on it.
“They (Rochester) are fairly rolling at the moment.”
For Benalla, the Saints' next match is a trip to Deakin Reserve to take on the undefeated Shepparton.