UNDEFEATED since round 13 last year, Redan maintained its 13-game winning streak with a workmanlike 26-point victory over a determined Darley at City Oval on Saturday.
The Lions were never really troubled, despite a serviceable effort from the Devils, on the way to a 14.11 (95) to 10.9 (69) victory.
Darley matched Redan both on the scoreboard and the statistics sheets for three quarters but couldn’t contain the more experienced Lions outfit in the second term.
Led by evergreen midfield general Jarrod Edwards, in a best on ground performance, Redan slammed on five second-term goals to Darley’s solitary major to skip away to a 30-point advantage going into the long break.
Forced into playing catch-up football, Darley came out firing on all cylinders in the third term with an early goal to makeshift full-forward, Dane Grenfell.
The Devils’ euphoria was shortlived with Redan kicking two unanswered goals, despite losing experienced players Edwards and Ryan Weight to injuries.
Darley replied with a pair of unanswered goals including a fourth major from Dane Grenfell to cut the margin to 25 points.
Darley coach Rod McPherson said that while his team turned over the ball a lot in the first half, he was satisfied with his young team’s attitude.
“Considering where we’ve come from, our effort today says a bit about where we’ve progressed mentally as a group.
“But we need to find more internally to get over the top of a good team.”
Ballarat Courier
