Footscray Edgewater will head into the pre-Christmas period as the top dogs of Victorian Premier Cricket.
The Bulldogs stand alone in first place after a hard-fought, two-wicket win against Frankston Peninsula at Merv Hughes Oval on Saturday.
Their No.1 status was confirmed when news filtered through that Carlton had lost to cellar dweller Hawthorn-Monash University.
Life under new coach Steve Chapman could hardly be better for the Bulldogs: six wins from seven starts.
“The club is bouncing. It’s really buzzing. It’s good for the members and life members,” Chapman told the Weekly.
The Bulldogs have been the most consistent side during the first two months.
“I really want the lads to be methodical in what they’re doing so they understand how to get from A to B,” Chapman said.
“Take simple options and be really calculated. Playing the game with a simple model is suiting them.”
The Bulldogs might have been chasing a tiny 167 for victory against Frankston Peninsula, but it would test their mettle.
Stop-start play because of rain made it hard for them to settle into a groove, and having to confront a menacing pace attack, led by state- level bowlers Jayde Herrick and Scott Boland and Australian under-age international Ben Ashkenazi, was a massive test.
The Bulldogs reached the target eight down. Captain Dean Russ did most of his work late on day one to set up the innings with 48, but Dylan Kight was the match-winner with 60 and he batted through five partnerships.
The Bulldogs next face Greenvale Kangaroos at Greenvale Reserve in a two-day weekend game.
Veteran import Shanuka Dissanayake could get a game after having his visa cleared to arrive in Australia.
