![Ryley Hutchins starred for Terang Mortlake on Saturday with five goals out of the midfield. Picture by Meg Saultry Ryley Hutchins starred for Terang Mortlake on Saturday with five goals out of the midfield. Picture by Meg Saultry](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156072998/0c36fe18-62b3-414b-a945-9a639e1dcdb0.JPG/r0_0_2596_1731_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A five-goal feast from a VFL-listed teenager lifted Terang Mortlake to a season-opening victory on Saturday as coach Ben Kenna eyes further improvement from his group that at times lacked composure.
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The Bloods enjoyed their first round one win since the 2017 Hampden league season, defeating Camperdown 10.12 (72) to 9.12 (66) at Terang Recreation Reserve.
The Bloods, who first started playing Camperdown in the season-opener from 2018, were yet to win a round one match against the Magpies.
Coach Ben Kenna admitted it was a relief to win first up, considering some of the hype around his group following the recruitment of some quality talent pre-Christmas.
Expectation is we'll be more competitive than last year, which we want to be.
- Ben Kenna
"Expectation is we'll be more competitive than last year, which we want to be," he said. "I thought we played some good footy in patches, but at other stages we probably lost our way."
With Lewis Taylor missing from the Bloods' round one line up, Kenna said the club was hopeful Taylor will line up in round two of the Hampden league season after Easter.
"We'll see how that goes, that's the aim (round two), he's got another two weeks to be ready," Kenna said.
The Bloods took a two goal lead into the first break, before the Magpies swung momentum to lead by seven at the main break.
Ryley Hutchins, who was picked up in Geelong's VFL squad last month, helped get the game back on the Bloods' terms, bursting from the midfield to kick back-to-back goals within as many minutes early in the third quarter.
"That was a pretty important contribution," Kenna said of Hutchins, who finished with five majors.
Armed with a 17-point lead at the final break, the Bloods were able to hold the Magpies off, with the latter kicking a goal after the siren to cement the final six-point margin.
Scott Carlin, fresh off a Northern Territory Football League premiership with Waratah, got better for the Bloods as the game wore on, while key defender Alex Moloney kept Magpies forward Sam Gordon to one goal. Down the other end, Magpies full-back Brendan Richardson had a similar effect on the Bloods' Will Kain.
Kenna said he was left wanting more composure from his players at times in the face of the Magpies' pressure.
"(And) maybe perceived pressure at times, guys just panic when they have a bit more time than they thought, so whether we need a bit more voice around the footy," he said.
Camperdown coach Neville Swayn said it was disappointing to lose by a kick in the end but would take several positives from the clash.
"It was probably execution that hurt us in the third quarter and first," he said. "We go away thinking, okay we can fix it."
The fifth-year mentor said he was pleased with the way his group kept coming at Terang Mortlake late in the game.
"We were four goals down half way through the last and most sides would have thought it's too hard," he said.
Meanwhile, Jason Baird showed his pace on debut for Camperdown to finish with two goals.
"Something's going to happen when he goes near it," Swayn said. "He's shown enough that he's on the right path."
Terang Mortlake host North Warrnambool Eagles after the Easter break, while Camperdown play South Warrnambool.
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