'Testament to how hard we've been working': Warriors' reward for effort

The Warriors downed the Creekers 43-38 to notch their second victory of the Warrnambool and District league campaign from six rounds.

"(I'm) absolutely thrilled," Sloane told The Standard after the game.

"We saw that Russells Creek really took it up to Allansford last week, so we knew that they were going to come out hard and it was something that we were really conscious of through the week.

"But for the girls to put on the performance they did today was really fantastic."

Wing-attack Marnie Beks was a standout for the Warriors while attacker Sophie Morton was the Creekers' best.

The Creekers actually led 28-27 at the final change but the Warriors rallied and soon built a healthy lead in the final term.

"I think we really just had to come back to basics," Sloane said of his team's fourth quarter.

"With warm weather and that sort of thing we had to really work on making sure we were in a position to try and control the tempo of the game the way that we wanted to, rather than getting rushed or moved around by the more physical bodies."

Six rounds in, the Warriors, who have two wins and sit seventh, are showing good signs under their first-year coach.

"I think today was a good testament to how hard we've been working at training," Sloane said.

"I'm really looking forward to trying to piece together a few more wins. We've got some tough games coming up in a few rounds time, so the more we can put that on the court and get it together, the better."

Sloane said there was "maybe one injury concern" during the game and was hopeful Grace Bell would be cleared to return in a few weeks after breaking her elbow against Merrivale on Good Friday.

Creekers coach Hannah Van Zyl wasn't too disheartened with the loss.

"I reckon the first three quarters were really close," she said.

"I think towards the end it was hard when Jess (Quinlivan) injured herself (ankle) and I was missing Jacqueline Tippett (away) today which made it hard not having that extra rotation.

"But I had the two girls on my bench Jenna Cahill and Alice Cann and I think they gave me their all so I couldn't ask for anything else."

Van Zyl was hopeful Quinlivan would be right to play round seven against Panmure.

Meanwhile, Timboon Demons edged closer to the top five with an upset victory against Dennington.

The Demons sit sixth, just four points behind fifth-placed Kolora-Noorat and the fourth-placed Dogs following the 47-41 triumph.

Macy Gale shone for the Demons while Rachel Waterson starred for the Dogs.

Allansford returned to the winners' list with a comfortable 52-25 victory against South Rovers.

Cats playing-coach Jess Rohan was influential as usual for the third-placed outfit, with Teagan Hallam impressive for the Lions.

In the remaining clashes, reigning grand finalist Nirranda and Merrivale, the current top-two on the ladder, produced emphatic wins against Kolora-Noorat and Panmure.

The Blues prevailed 59-27 and the Tigers won 85-37.

Paiyton Noonan scored a mighty 56 goals for the Tigers.