The Bulldogs reserves were up against an Inverloch team firmly holding place, having lost only two games for the season.

Conditions were best described as awful, with drizzling rain and a howling gale, but a strong side in for the Bulldogs.

It was to be the first quarter that was to prove decisive, and this time it was the Bulldogs that were to gain the advantage.

Kicking with the gale after an excellent toss win, it was Taylor time, with Ben Taylor excelling.

Kicking a goal within the first minute, and following it up with another three minutes later, Ben’s effort put the Bulldogs up in impossible conditions.

The locals tightened up, but a late first quarter goal to Harry Anderson, and the Bulldogs led 19-0 at quarter time.

From then in it was a slugfest.

Tom Niven led the Bulldogs defence, ably assisted by evergreen assistant coach Daniel Larsson proving class bubbles to the surface in these conditions.

Despite peppering the goals in the second, the locals were only able to score one goal (and two goals for the entire game), unfortunately for them interspersed with 11 points.

Noah Bee-Hickman continued his excellent on-ball performance, whilst Tully Dickie scored a valuable goal as well.

Despite an excellent effort, the final quarter came with the Inverloch boys trailing by only three points and kicking with the gale.

But the Bulldogs hadn’t come this far to rollover despite the difficult conditions.

In a frenetic final quarter, the Bulldogs were able to hold the Inverloch boys to just one point, whilst managing to slot through a vital goal themselves into the gale through the agency of Ben Taylor.

All in all, an eight-point win was a fantastic result, cementing fifth place for the Bulldogs.

No week off though, with a tough game scheduled against fourth placed Koo Wee Rup next Sunday at Warragul Industrials ground for a continued place in the finals.

After last year’s elimination final loss by one point to the same team, it should be a beauty.