For the first time this season Beechworth’s senior footballers have dropped outside of the top five following a crushing loss to premiership favourites Kiewa Sandy Creek last weekend.

After making a promising start fresh off the interleague bye at Coulston Park, the ‘Bushies were unable to make their chances count on the scoreboard and saw the margin grow to 37 points at half time after managing just a solitary point.

From there the Hawks showed their firepower in attack and ran away with proceedings in the last quarter to secure the win 14.14 (98) to 2.1 (13).

Jobe Brock delivered his best performance of the season, with strong support from Connor Stone, Liam Stephens, and Hamish Malsem.

On a positive note for the club, debutant Gabe Humphries was able to kick his first goal in senior football following a stack of good performances in the under 17s in recent weeks.

The loss marked Beechworth’s third in succession and with Rutherglen’s win over Wahgunyah, saw them slip out of the top five with four rounds remaining.

The Bushrangers will like their chances of rebounding with much needed wins against Dederang-Mount Beauty and Wodonga Saints before a tough final two matches will decide their finals fate.

On the other side of the fence, Beechworth’s A grade ran into a similarly formidable force going down 87-20.

The ‘Bushies could only muster five shots on goal in a brutal opening term which saw the second-placed Hawks ahead by 21 goals.

Things would improve across the second and fourth quarters, but Kiewa Sandy Creek proved too much to handle.

Tegan Chambeyron fought admirably in defence while Aliza Robinson and Eidenne Surrey provided a spark through the midcourt.