WHITTLESEA fell just four points short of an upset win against North Heidelberg in a game that solidified the Eagles’ status as a genuine Northern Football Netball League division one team.
Whittlesea has fought to avoid relegation to division two for most of the season after the mid-year departure of former coach Blair Harvey and several key players.
While the team only gave itself reasonable assurance of avoiding the wooden spoon with a spirited win against Northcote Park in round 15, it played with newfound confidence against the sixth-placed Bulldogs on Saturday.
Trailing by seven points at quarter time, Whittlesea booted five goals to three in the second term to grab a three-point advantage at the main break.
After conceding eight goals in the third quarter many onlookers would have been forgiven for writing the home team off, but Whittlesea responded again with six goals in the last term to storm home and nearly steal the win, going down 16.8 (104) to 17.6 (108).
North Heidelberg sported a star-studded team, with former North Melbourne AFL players Brent Harvey and Majak Daw leading the way for the Bulldogs.
Onballer Tom Falls played a brilliant game for Whittlesea, with half forward Clancy Bland, defenders Brody Bell and Mitch Atta and ruckman Sam Indian also named among the best.
Jaron Murphy continued to play strongly in Whittlesea’s forward line, booting four goals to give him a team-high 23 for the season.
Whittlesea will travel to take on Greensborough this weekend in the penultimate round of the home-and-away season.
