Football: Big Dons stand tall in rain

Donnybrook's big man contingent delivered their club a confidence-boosting 10-point win over Bunbury at VC Mitchell Park on Sunday.

In heavy rain the Dons were led by Jeff Smith, Chris Sheehan, Kris Clarkson and Daniel Billson to post their fourth win of the season, 7.11 (53) to 6.7 (43).

Eleven of the goals were kicked with the breeze and only two — one for each team in the second half — against the wind.

The Bulldogs had the breeze and led by 15 at quarter-time before the weather deteriorated.

Goals to Sam Miles and Marc Re saw Bunbury take an early advantage but it was wasteful in front of goal and should have led by more.

Donnybrook piled on five second quarter goals from 13 shots, taking full advantage of the wind.

Smith dominated in the ruck and sat a kick behind play to cut off Bunbury’s attacking drives.

Midfielders Curtis Guglielmana and Hayden King fed off his dominance to hit up Billson, who booted two second term goals.

Majors to Re and Aaron Mills after half-time brought the Dogs within range, but it was Billson who made the biggest statement.

The strong-marking forward kicked truly from 45 metres 10 minutes into the third term in driving rain against the run of play.

Donnybrook started the fourth term with the breeze and a 10-point advantage, but struggled to fight off a determined Bunbury outfit.

Dogs Grady Byrne, Trent Gribble and Glen Howison fought, tackled and scrapped for the first 15 minutes of the last term, but Clarkson put the result beyond doubt when he kicked his second goal with six minutes to play.

Re kicked a late consolation goal, his third but time had run out.

At the halfway point of the season Donnybrook sits just two points outside the five and right in the mix for September action.

The Dogs, meanwhile, have a lot of work to do in the second half of the season to improve their eighth place on the ladder.

Scoreboard

Donnybrook 0.1 5.9 6.11 7.11 53 def Bunbury 2.4 2.5 5.7 6.7 43

Goals:

DONNYBROOK — D. Billson 3, K. Clarkson 2, M. VandeKlashorst, R. Cross.

BUNBURY — M. Re 3, S. Miles, A. Mills, J. Adamson-Holmes.

Best:

DONNYBROOK — J. Smith, D. Billson, K. Clarkson, H. King, C. Sheehan.

BUNBURY — G. Byrne, T. Gribble, M. Re, S. Miles, E. McGuire, G. Howison.