By Tara Murray
Caroline Springs is on the board in the Western Football League division 1 season.
After a tough couple of weeks to start the season, the Lakers found some form against Parkside on Saturday.
Scores were level at quarter time before the Lakers kicked four goals to one in the second quarter to open up a 23 point lead at the main break.
They were able to extend the lead in the third quarter before finishing the game off strongly to win, 13.15 (93)-6.6 (42).
The Magpies scored just one goal in the second half.
Lakers football manager Shaun Rainer said they felt they played some good football in the win after quarter time.
“It was good to get the win, we’ve taken our time,” he said.
“Parkside jumped out pretty quick in the first quarter but after quarter time we managed to play three good quarters of football.”
Brian Lake kicked five goals for the Lakers in his first game of the season.
Lachlan Mellon, Cooper Bond and Keenan O’Shea were named the Lakers best.
Rainer said having bought in five or six players in the off season it was always going to take some time to settle into the season.
He said they would have loved for it to have happened earlier than it did.
“We have to get them to understand what we are doing with our game structure and all that,” he said.
“We didn’t have the most competitive practice matches leading into the season. Round one we came back hard and nearly stole it right at the end.
“Against Hoppers Crossing we coughed the ball up. It was nice to gel on Saturday.”
The Lakers next up face Werribee Districts. The last time the two teams met, the Tigers won an extra time thriller in the semi finals.
Rainer said it would give them another good test of where they were at. He said they felt that the small ground worked in their favour.
He said the side was keen to build on last season’s preliminary final appearance.
“I think the players have bought in, we don’t want to go backwards. We haven’t started the way that we would have liked though.
“We want to be contending at the pointy end of the season.”
The Lakers women also got the win over Parkside on Saturday.
It was the biggest test the Lakers have had this season so far.
Caroline Springs finished off strongly with three final quarter goals and kept the Spurs goalless in the second half to come away with a 7.6 (48)-3.5 (23).
In the men’s division 2 competition, the Western Rams fell short against the Suns.
The Suns won 21.8 (134)-10.8 (68).
