Northern Football League

Diamond Creek went into Friday night's match against last-placed Fitzroy Stars 1 as the red-hot-favourites, and they showed everyone exactly why they are number two on the ladder. They led at every break, outscored the opposition in every term, and more than doubled the Stars' final score, to take the match by a staggering 14 goals.

Diamond Creek were in control of the first centre pass and scored within minutes of the term. They looked stronger and more collected than the opposition, although they were not without problems. They made a number of errors in the first term, ranging from dropped catches to misdirected passes. However, strong passes into their goal circle and accurate shooters saw Diamond Creek notch up a six goal lead heading into the second term.

Fitzroy Stars' play improved in the second term and they got more possession of the ball. They made some valuable intercepts and moved the ball down the court well. However, they dropped catches and made undirected passes. Diamond Creek continued to move down the court quickly, courtesy of some sharp and direct passes. They missed a number of shots at goal, but still managed to add another four goals onto their existing lead.

Diamond Creek began with the centre pass, but the Stars managed to intercept the ball and score the first goal. This looked promising for Fitzroy Stars, but Diamond Creek refused to back down. Diamond Creek were strong both in defence and attack, but their shooters weren't as impressive. A diligent Fitzroy Stars' defence put pressure on the opposition's shooters, who struggled to score on a number of occasions. The Stars showed glimpses of great play, from good movement down the court to strong shooting. But they continued to make errors and players failed to move forward and into position. They scored four goals to Diamond Creek's six in the third term.

Diamond Creek moved at lighting speed in the final term, and executed their play effortlessly. They maintained their strong defence and exerted pressure continuously on the crumbling opposition. Despite the best efforts of the Fitzroy Stars' defenders, the Diamond Creek shooters set themselves up to score from prime position in the goal circle and were on target. Both teams communicated well with their teammates and could be heard clearly from the sidelines calling for the ball. The Stars got more play in their goals and managed to score five goals, but they were unable to match Diamond Creek who scored seven goals.

The final score was Fitzroy Stars 1 (13) to Diamond Creek (27).