Brad Holmes kicked his third bag of eight goals for the season and South Mandurah put Centrals in the pressure cooker to claim a 19-point win at Falcon Oval on Sunday afternoon.
The Falcons used a stunning eight-goal third term to break away from what was a deadlocked first half between the two, with a run of six straight goals in the premiership quarter giving them all the space they needed to take the game 14.11 (95) to 12.4 (76).
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Holmes led the way up front for the hosts, but it was their pressure around the ground that gave them their edge over a spirited Centrals outfit.
Falcons players laid ferocious tackles all over the ground to win the ball for their side, while Holmes had the class they needed to convert their work at ground level into scoreboard pressure.
The league’s leading goal-kicker was up and about early when he bagged his first less than a minute into the game thanks to a clearance from ruckman Tom Wood.
But as it went for the entire first half, Centrals had the quick reply when Grant Dunn nailed his first of three on the day.
The midfield battle provided one of the more intriguing match-ups of the season, with top-flight midfielders Toby Gianatti and Andrew Haydon going head-to-head on several occasions.
Early on it was Gianatti leading the way as his hard work, along with some outstanding play in defence from Matt Buxton, helped Centrals score the next two through Flynn de Lacy and Brett Hill.
But Sam Evans converted late for the Falcons to level the scores at three straight goals apiece at quarter time.
The second quarter provided much of the same.
Centrals’ Jacob Martinez and South Mandurah’s Nathan Hutchison gave their sides plenty of opportunities, and despite the Falcons notching six more scoring shots for the term Centrals went into the long break up by a point thanks to a behind after the siren from Craig McGarry.
Wood sparked another Holmes goal when he caught Thomas Bennett for holding the ball early in the third, igniting a run that would see South Mandurah out to an 11-point lead before three straight Centrals majors gave them the edge midway through the third.
But the Falcons dug deep thanks to some stunning efforts from man-of-the-match Aaron Zucconi coming out of defence, and Holmes capitalised to boot four in the quarter as the duo saw their side to a five-goal advantage heading into the fourth.
That lead looked in danger when McGarry and Martinez booted two quick goals for the visitors, but South Mandurah steadied to level the contest and stem any scoring flow their opponents had.
Holmes booted his eighth to seal the deal for South Mandurah, and a Grant Dunn goal after the siren did nothing to change the result.
The win sees the Falcons move to a 3-4 record after seven games, equal with Centrals.