The home team carried a 21-point lead into the final quarter, but Kiewa doubled its scoring output and had two more scoring shots for the match, falling 13.7 (85) to 11.11 (77).

“We got beaten comprehensively through the middle of the ground, which is probably an area where we think we’ve got some really talented midfielders,” Hawks’ coach Adam Mudra said.

“For whatever reason we didn’t get our hands on the footy anywhere near enough.

“They beat us inside and they beat us outside, we really struggled to control the game between the arcs.”

Nick Gilbert was outstanding for the visitors with five goals, while a player Mudra coached in the thirds at Wodonga came back to haunt him.

“Yeah, Tyson Gorupic was really good for them on the inside, winning a lot of hard footy,” Mudra said.

“(Nathan) Reynoldson was really good for them as well.”

Mitta has been a perennial powerhouse, but it had only a draw from the first three rounds.

“They’ve certainly got enough talent to play finals, but there’s probably another six or seven teams that can say the same thing,” Mudra said.

“I think that’s a terrific thing for the league that they’ve got so many teams that bat really deep, which makes for a good competition.”

A minute’s silence was held for Jason Shields, who died in a car crash in mid-April.

He had played juniors at both clubs.

“It was a really good thing that two clubs, who are in some ways arch-rivals, can put that aside and do the right thing for not only Jason, but Jason’s family as well,” Mudra said.

Despite just the one loss, Kiewa is now fifth, with two teams still unbeaten after the opening month.

Wahgunyah toppled Barnawartha by 16 points in a quality match.

Dylan Cook and Kodee Lowe were superb in the 7.14 (56) to 6.4 (40) win, with Matt Dalbosco the Tigers’ best.

Wahgunyah has an incredible percentage of 465.49.

Yackandandah is the other undefeated team, with Trent Castles kicking 12 in the 105-point hiding of Wodonga Saints, 26.8 (164) to 9.5 (59).

Luke Gray and Bryce Rafferty joined Castles in the Roos’ best.

Another gun forward in Thurgoona’s Matt Fowler also had a day out, booting eight in the 19.15 (129) to 6.8 (44) win over Tallangatta.

Rutherglen’s Ron Fuge kicked seven in the 22.17 (149) to 12.7 (79) win against Chiltern, with the visitors’ Nathan Hooper continuing his super form with six.