Football
8 April, 2025
Harrow Balmoral dominates round one
Harrow Balmoral Football Netball Club seniors kicked off their 2025 Horsham District Football Netball League (HDFNL) season in commanding style, securing a 38-point victory over Taylors Lake Football Netball Club at Dock Lake Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon.
The final scoreboard read Harrow Balmoral 17.12 (114) defeating Taylors Lake 11.10 (76), as the visiting side outplayed their opponents from the first bounce and never looked back.
Harrow Balmoral FNC exploded out of the gates, piling on five goals in the opening term to lead by 25 points at quarter time.
They maintained the pressure through the second and third quarters, extending their advantage to 36 points at the main break and 37 points at the final change.
Taylors Lake attempted a late comeback in the final term, but Harrow Balmoral’s accuracy and structured play proved too strong.
Harrow Balmoral FNC seniors football coach Jai Thompson praised his team’s overall performance and composure throughout the match.
“The game went really well and the first one is out of the way,” he said.
“The first round win is always good to have.”
Mr Thompson credited the team’s ability to stick to the game plan and execute under pressure as key factors in the win.
“I think execution going forward was up to mark throughout the day, and probably we stretched well,” he said.
“There were a lot of bits and pieces that helped us a lot in winning the game.”
“Playing to the game plan and winning the first one was the highlight.”
He singled out Simon Close, Michael Close and Noah Hildebrand as standout players who led the charge and made a noticeable impact on the field.
Mr Thompson acknowledged the tougher challenges ahead, including next week’s clash against Laharum.
“We will just review this game and go ahead,” he said.
“We are looking forward to our next game against Laharum, as it’s a very good team and better in defence.”
“We will try to work out better on our game plan in the coming games.”