The Castlemaine Magpies played host to Gisborne in Bendigo Football Netball League round two action at Camp Reserve last Saturday.
The Magpies, led by new coach Brendan Shepherd, came into their first home match of the season off back of a win over fellow Magpies Maryborough at Princes Park in round one.
The Bulldogs were chasing their first win for 2023 after going down to Strathfieldsaye Storm by 12 points in round one at Gardiner Reserve.
The first quarter opened in sunny autumn conditions in front of a huge crowd and proved to be a real arm wrestle with both sides struggling to find their groove and gain the ascendency. Gisborne eventually managed to get the first goal on the board kicking 1.3 for the term, while the Magpies registered a point.
Both sides hit their stride in the second stanza with Castlemaine kicking three goals for the term, but the Bulldogs had all the answers kicking six goals to hold a handy 28 point buffer at half time.
Gisborne continued to pepper the goals in the third term kicking 3.4 for the quarter, while keeping the Magpies to two points and at the final change had extended their lead out to 48 points.
Castlemaine continued to battle on in the final term adding another hard fought 1.4 to their tally but the Bulldogs squeezed through another 6.3 to win the match by 77 points.
Gisborne 16.13 (109) def Castlemaine 4.8 (32).
Best for Gisborne were ruckman Braidon Blake who kicked four goals, former Magpie forward Zach Denahy who booted three and new recruit Ryan Bourke who also kicked three.
The determined Magpie outfit were well served by newcomer Matt Filo and young gun Brodie Byrne and Callum McConachy who was in everything and posted two of the Pies’ four goals for the match.
