It was a tough day for Redlegs at the Maffra Recreation
Reserve in round 14 of the Gippsland League with the Eagles having their measure in all four games of football.
The Bairnsdale fourths were keen to consolidated their hold on fifth place on the ladder but the second ranked Eagles were always going to be a tough
ask at home.
The relentless Eagles kept the Redlegs goalless in the first half and only conceded two goals for the match, running out easy 59-point winners.
Luca Desio, Zane Holley, Archer Crawley, Hudson Froud, Bailey Lieuwen and Hunter Crane all tried hard for Bairnsdale, who now drop to sixth, trailing the fifth-placed Leongatha on percentage.
It was a similar scenario in the thirds with defeat seeing the Redlegs drop from fourth to sixth on the ladder, also out on percentage, this time at the expense of Traralgon.
After a relatively even first half where the breaks went the way of the home side, they held a handy 11-point lead with the Redlegs close enough to mount a challenge if they hit their straps.
But a six-goal to two second half from the highly-rated Eagles saw them winners by 40 points.
Jacob Farley, Brayden Fenner, Campbell Reed, Charlie Cook, Harry McGuinn and Nathan Tough were all serviceable
for Bairnsdale.
Farley has impressed since crossing from Orbost Snowy Rovers at the start of the season and may be worth a try at
senior level in the final weeks of the season.
The Redlegs were kept goalless for the first three quarters in the reserves, kicking three goals in a better effort in the final term, but were outclassed by the Eagles who were winners by 70 points.
Mitchell Neal, Riley Taylor, Charlie Mann, Jason Waddell, Samuel O’Kelly and Michael Stephenson were honourable mentions for Bairnsdale.
Runners-up last year to Leongatha in the grand final, the Redlegs have failed to reach that level this season.
Bairnsdale will host the Wonthaggi Power this Saturday at the Bairnsdale City Oval.
