By JARROD POTTER
NOBLE Park made Lilydale rue their decision to drive down Eastlink this week, with a 55-point drubbing awaiting the visitors.
A back-and-forth first half saw the Bulls edge ahead slightly at the main break, with Matt Dunne snaring the first of his pair of majors to push the Bulls out to a 20-point gap.
It rained heavily after half-time, but the precipitation came from goals, as the Bulls ran all over the Falcons.
A three-pronged forward attack the envy of all and sundry – Luke Mann (five goals), Brett Dore (four) and Shayne Allen (three) ripped shreds from the Falcons defence – who scrambled to find any way to stem the haemorrhaging.
Champion defender Stewart Kemperman repelled the Falcons at all turns from the back end, linking up with the captain Craig Anderson and Tim Kelly through the midfield to devastating effect.
Noble Park coach Mick Fogarty said the pieces are falling into place for the Bulls, but his men need to work on a few fundamentals firstly.
“Again we’ve got a few things to tighten up but we’re playing the kind of footy we know we’re capable of playing and now need to string a couple of wins together,” Fogarty said.
“Just got to work on a few of the basics – footies going over the back with no coverage and defensive pressure all over the ground.”
The coach highlighted his defenders’ resolve and thought Jarryd Plymin, Trent Robertson and Luke Smith – who had a hard job on Lilydale’s Marcus Baxter – all shone best.
Fogarty said the ins list over the next few weeks is power-packed, with the tantalising prospect of adding Daniel Kiely, Tyson Mitchem and Nick Williams to the side in the near future.
Another tough task awaits the third placed Bulls this weekend, travelling up the highway to face fifth placed Knox.
