Kangas, Bulls close the gap as Tigers suffer first loss

Just one game separates the top three teams in the Great Southern Football League after round 7 provided victories for both Mt Barker and North Albany at the weekend.

The Kangas bounced back from their heavy defeat last week to take care of Denmark-Walpole in wet and windy conditions at Collingwood Park today, maintaining their place in the top two.

Key figure Shayne Zanetti returned for the Magpies and he booted the first goal of the game but it was all the visitors had to show for themselves at the end of the match as they went down by 42 points.

The two sides were level at quarter time before goals to Luke Cameron and Beau Rogers helped the Kangas out to a 13-point half time lead.

With Jack McPhee and Matt Orzel dominant around the stoppages the Kangas kept working the ball forward but could only add one more major in the third.

They ran away with the contest in the last however, adding four majors to cruise to a 8.11 (59) to 1.11 (17) win.

McPhee was terrific all afternoon and Orzel racked up plenty of possessions while Stuart Parker and Cameron were both influential.

There were no multiple goal kickers but the Magpies were left to rue some poor shots on goal as they slumped to a fifth loss of the season.

Young midfielder Codey Baxter was impressive again winning a lot of contested ball while Ryan Gaerth and Luke Marley also battled hard throughout.

Yesterday at Sounness Park, Mt Barker ended Railways winning streak with an emphatic 35-point triumph in blustery conditions.

With the wind favouring the town end of the ground the Tigers failed to make use of the advantage in the first term as they kicked 1.6 while two late Bulls goals had their side ahead by a point at the first change.

Classy trio Kym Monteath, Daniel Henderson and Dionne Woods all added goals in the second term but their side again did their best work into the breeze, restricting the visitors to just a goal once more in the third as they kicked two of their own.

A 19-point buffer at three quarter time was always going to be decisive as the Bulls finished strongly to win, 11.13 (79) to 6.8 (44), and inflict the Tigers their first loss of 2018 in the process.

Woods was terrific in both defence and attack for the Bulls kicking two goals and saving a few as well, Joel Gray continued his brilliant start to the season and Monteath finished with three majors.

Kenton Gibbs provided a real presence for the Tigers up front but was wayward kicking 2.4 while Bodhi Stubber and Mitch Green were also solid.

In the other match yesterday, Royals returned to the winners list after outclassing a disappointing Albany by 26 points in blustery conditions at Centennial Stadium on Saturday.

The Lions set up their win with the aid of a strong wind leading by 40 points at quarter time and kept the Sharks goalless until the final term before winning, 7.18 (60) to 4.10 (34).

Brayden Parker and Braden Murphy were the Lions best while Sharks ruckman Stewart Davies toiled hard.

Wins to the Kangas and Bulls now has them four points adrift of the Tigers on top of the GSFL ladder as the competition heads to a general bye next weekend for the Great Southern Colts Carnival.