Sport
Shepparton United puts Tatura to the sword thanks to Kyle Clarke and Jesse Cucinotta’s efforts
A true captain’s knock — or two — led Shepparton United over the line in a big way on Saturday.
The Demons, meeting Tatura on its back deck, had their most prolific day out inside 50 as Duane Hueston’s boys rained hell on the Bulldogs, kicking one goal shy of a perfect 20.
In United’s eyes, one man’s return was vital — Kyle Clarke.
The Demons’ co-skipper was sidelined for almost a month following a sickening head wound sustained in round 14 against Benalla, but he made the most of his return as he finished the day with five goals against an injury-hit Tatura.
Alongside him, fellow co-captain Jesse Cucinotta chimed in with four majors to be United’s next best off the boot, while Joel Serra had another blockbuster performance in the red and navy.
All three helped Hueston’s side to a 48-16 advantage after half an hour, and to Tatura’s credit, the Bulldogs did not roll over.
But in the second term, when the hosts slotted five, United kicked six — and that was as good as it got for Tatura.
Instead, United piled on another five in the third exchange and two more for good measure in the last to rubber stamp a 19.18 (132) to 11.2 (68) victory in the penultimate round of the season.
Mitch Elliott flew the Tatura flag the highest in a tough day out on the track for the Bulldogs, while another seasoned campaigner in Andrew Ciavarella booted three goals.
With neither side set to play finals, both will look to get the most out of the last game of the year.
For Tatura, a result could be on the cards when welcoming 11th-ranked Benalla to town, while for United, the assignment is plenty stiffer as it hosts third-placed Rochester at Deakin Reserve.