UPPER Ferntree Gully took a step back following its thrashing at the hands of Mooroolbark the previous week, but last Saturday took a giant leap forward by thumping Doncaster by 61 points at Kings Park in their Eastern Football League division 2 match.
Uppers coach Andy Hayman said his side was forced to sharpen up its game plan and application following the Mooroolbark game.
Now the Uppers need to maintain that focus when they host Bayswater at Kings Park this Saturday.
"After Mooroolbark's demolition of us we went back and looked at our set-up so we could be more competitive against the top sides," he said.
"The two sides above us who we had played beat us by a combined 25 goals so we tweaked a few things and lifted our workrate. I was happy with the results."
Hayman said part of the Uppers' problems came from having new players who didn't completely understand the team's game plan and defensive rules.
"When guys are under pressure they go away from it and fall into old habits," Hayman said. "When you come up to this level you have to stick to your structures or teams will cut you to pieces."
Brad Carroll was named best player against Doncaster for his tagging role on dangerous midfielder Chris Annakis, while Shannon Graham and Garry Nash were also in the best.
"Brad followed him all around the ground and on and off the field and really limited his effect on the game," Hayman said.
"Brad has been around our best players in every game so far. Nash played a fair bit of last year in our development squad, this year he has gone up forward and become a very lively half forward for us.
''Graham is one of most consistent players and gives us that run off half-back."
After some close losses to Bayswater last season, Hayman is keen to test his side this Saturday.
"They are a well coached side so everything will come down to keeping to our structures, if we do that then things will keep turning around for us," Hayman said.
EFL division 2 ladder: Rowville 24 points, 133.65 per cent; Montrose 20, 160.19; Mooroolbark 20, 119.46; Upper Ferntree Gully 16, 92.48; Donvale 14, 115.15; Doncaster East 10, 90.77; Bayswater 8, 93.77; Doncaster 8, 87.26; Mulgrave 0, 70.72; Waverley Blues 0, 68.10.
FINAL SCORES
TAC Cup: Eastern Ranges, bye.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: Vermont 15.11 (101) d Croydon 10.10 (70); East Burwood 17.12 (114) d South Croydon 14.6 (90); Noble Park 14.10 (94) d Scoresby 12.9 (81); Balwyn 15.17 (107) d Blackburn 9.12 (66); East Ringwood 16.7 (103) d Knox 9.12 (66); Norwood 12.6 (78) d Lilydale 7.4 (46).
Division 2: Donvale 12.9 (81) d Bayswater 12.7 (79); Doncaster East 18.12 (120) d Mulgrave 15.5 (95); Montrose 22.14 (146) d Mooroolbark 9.13 (67); Upper Ferntree Gully 21.12 (138) d Doncaster 12.5 (77); Rowville 11.6 (72) d Waverley Blues 10.9 (69).
Division 3: Templestowe 12.11 (83) d Coldstream 9.10 (64); Glen Waverley Hawks 15.5 (95) d Heathmont 7.12 (54); Boronia 16.12 (108) d Ringwood 11.8 (74); Mitcham 14.7 (91) d Wantirna South 9.10 (64); North Ringwood 17.14 (116) d Warrandyte 6.7 (43); Whitehorse Pioneers 7.7 (49) d Chirnside Park 12.22 (94).
Division 4: Nunawading 17.7 (109) d Park Orchards 9.19 (73); Eastern Lions 15.7 (97) d Kilsyth 7.8 (50); Forest Hill 11.13 (79) d Ferntree Gully 8.22 (70); South Belgrave 17.19 (121) d Silvan 14.7 (91).
Yarra Valley Mountain District FL:
Division 1: Monbulk 13.12 (90) d Healesville 11.16 (82); Mount Evelyn 15.20 (110) d Upwey Tecoma 9.14 (68); Woori Yallock 10.12 (72) d Emerald 8.12 (60); Olinda Ferny Creek 16.12 (108) d Wandin 11.10 (76); Gembrook Cockatoo 16.9 (105) d Warburton Millgrove 8.10 (58).
Division 2: Seville 12.10 (82) d Yarra Junction 8.14 (62); Kinglake 14.8 (92) d Yea 8.15 (63); Belgrave 18.16 (124) d Alexandra 6.4 (40); Powelltown 17.10 (112) d Yarra Glen 16.11 (107).
For full EFL results, click on Knox Latest Sport Results link at upper right.
THIS WEEK
TAC Cup: Eastern Ranges, bye.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: South Croydon v Balwyn, Cheong Park 2.10pm; East Ringwood v Norwood, East Ringwood Reserve 2.10pm; Knox v Croydon, Knox Gardens Reserve 2.10pm; Noble Park v East Burwood, Pat Wright Senior Oval 2.10pm; Lilydale v Scoresby, Scoresby Recreation Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 2: Donvale v Montrose, Donvale Reserve 2.10pm; Mooroolbark v Doncaster, Heights Reserve 2.10pm; Upper Ferntree Gully v Bayswater, Kings Park 2.10pm; Mulgrave v Waverley Blues, Mulgrave Reserve 2.10pm; Rowville v Doncaster East, Seebeck Oval 2.10pm.
Division 3: Glen Waverley Hawks v Whitehorse Pioneers, Capital Reserve 2.10pm; Chirnside Park v Heathmont, Kimberley Reserve 2.10pm; North Ringwood v Templestowe, Quambee Reserve 2.10pm; Mitcham v Coldstream, Walker Park 2.10pm; Wantirna South v Boronia, Walker Reserve 2.10pm; Warrandyte v Ringwood, Warrandyte Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 4: Canterbury v The Basin, Canterbury Sports Ground 2.10pm; Nunawading v Ferntree Gully, Koonung Reserve 2.10pm; Silvan v Park Orchards, Silvan Recreation Reserve 2.10pm; Surrey Park v Kilsyth, Surrey Park Reserve 2.10pm; South Belgrave, bye.
Yarra Valley Mountain District FL: Interleague, Central Murray FL v Yarra Valley Mountain District FL, Swan Hill 2pm.
All games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.