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Horsham District lost its interleague clash against Ellinbank and District Football League by 60 points at Ballarat City Oval on Saturday.
Horsham started the game perfectly with a goal inside 90 seconds but from then on Ellinbank dominated the contest. Ellinbank marked strongly inside 50 throughout the first half and capitalised on its opportunities.
After conceding the first goal, Ellinbank then kicked six first-quarter goals to hold a 31-point lead at the first break.
It was much of the same in the second term with Horsham District unable to match Ellinbank’s ball use.
Ellinbank was clean on the ground and in the air and made the most of its set shot opportunities.
By half-time Ellinbank’s lead was out to 43 points.
Horsham started positively in the third term, and kicked a goal to reduce the margin to 38 points.
Horsham District continued to press the Ellinbank defence but a few missed set shots proved costly.
Ellinbank then made Horsham District pay, kicking four third-term goals.
After three quarters, Ellinbank was well and truly in control, leading Horsham District 13.5 (83) to 3.4 (22).
At the three-quarter-time huddle, Pekin urged his side to earn some respect back in the final term.
Horsham District came out with increased intensity in the fourth quarter, but skill errors continued to plague the side’s chances of a fight back.
The side kept Ellinbank goalless for 21 minutes of the final term, but only managed one goal of its own.
In the end Ellinbank was too strong, defeating Horsham District by 60 points – 14.7 (91) to 4.7 (31).
Pekin said Ellinbank and District used the ball better throughout the game.
“I thought we had a lot of the footy but our execution and skill error cost us immensely,” he said.
“They were in the same conditions but just seemed to use it a lot better than us. They got off to a flying start and in the second half we were first to the footy, which was one of the things we addressed at half-time.
“I can’t fault the boys, it just wasn’t our day in the end.”
Pekin said he was pleased with his side’s showing in the final quarter.
“I was pretty proud with our last quarter and I told them we needed to fight back and I think we did that,” he said. “A few little decisions didn’t go our way but that’s just football.”
Pekin was named best on ground for the Horsham District side.
“I wasn’t too impressed being named best on – I thought we had plenty of others who played better games,” he said.
“I thought Nathan Koenig tried really hard and I think as a whole our back six played really well.”
Swifts’ Ben Taylor was one of the best for the Horsham District while Baggies utility Damon Folkes kicked one of the team’s four goals.