By Lauren Henry

After a long-awaited win against their cross-town rivals, Horsham Demons are hoping to carry their form into this Saturday’s match against Minyip-Murtoa.

But the Burras will no doubt come out smarting after being on the end of an 86-point trouncing to a Stawell team celebrating its club’s 150th anniversary.

The Demons’ Anzac Day clash under lights against Horsham Saints at Horsham City Oval saw a low-scoring, close first half as the home team had plenty of the ball but failed to capitalise.

A free kick in front of goal gave the Demons its first at the 23-minute mark of the first quarter, after the Saints scored early through Corey Morgan.

The Saints again came out to score early in the second quarter, as the Demons replied through Brody Pope with a set shot from the boundary in front of the Horsham faithful.

Missed shots at goal gave the Demons a score line of 3.9 at half-time, leading by just one goal.

Horsham slowly built on its lead in the second half to eventually win 75-54.

Demons coach Jordyn Burke said Billy Carberry, who won the Anzac medal, had impressed in the ruck and as a forward, while Hugo Papst, Ryan Kemp and Brody Pope were solid. 

“It’s always a tough one with Saints and it’s been a while since we’ve probably had a win against them. It was a big occasion and the boys stepped up. I was super happy,” he said.

Burke said the Demons’ low conversion rate in the first half was ‘frustrating’.

“We did a lot of hard work and didn’t get much reward. But to the boys’ credit, they didn’t stop, we just had to keep ticking away,” he said.

“In the end, we took our chances when we had them, and I think we ended up with eight different goal-scorers, so I was really impressed with that.”

Burke said Saturday’s match at Murtoa would be a good test for his team.

“It’s going to be an interesting game, I think. Over the past three or four years they’ve been one of the yardsticks and they have some really good players,” he said. 

“Their talls are always really good. 

“They’ve some really good key position players and getting their midfield strengthened up back again, so we’re going to have to win that midfield battle because they’ve some proper players in that midfield.”

Burke said other than Brad Hartigan undergoing a hamstring test, the Demons were likely to go into the match with an unchanged side.

In other round three Wimmera league action, Dimboola faces a challenge to notch up its first win of the season as it faces ladder-leaders Stawell. 

The Warriors have been impressive so far this season, beating Ararat, Saints and then Minyip-Murtoa.

Whereas the Roos have only played one match, losing to Nhill by 47 points, 99-52.

The Roos trailed at every change against Nhill on Saturday, as Tiger forward Daniel Batson booted six goals.

In another one-sided match, Ararat smashed Warrack Eagles 192-35, as the home team never looked in it. 

The Eagles, with senior player Jacob Cheney set to play his 300th senior game, will need to regroup as they travel to Coughlin Park, Horsham, to play the Saints.

In what could be the match of the round, Ararat will need to bring its A game as it hosts Southern Mallee Thunder.

Last year’s premiers kicked a huge score of 28.24 against the Eagles, led by seven goals from Tom Williamson, who was one of 14 goal-scorers for the Rats.

Nhill has a bye in round three.

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