KILMORE will have to make use of its double chance to defend its reserves premiership after losing a thriller to Ivanhoe from a goal on the final siren.
The Blues were jumped in the opening quarter, with Ivanhoe kicking two goals to one behind to pinch a 13-point lead at the opening change, 14-1.
Kilmore eventually got into the game, kicking two goals in the second quarter, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Ivanhoe from adding another two in the second and maintaining a 14-point lead at the main break, 28-14.
The Blues made their move in the third quarter, holding Ivanhoe to three behinds, while adding late goals through Thomas McMillan and Emmett Clark to move to within four points at the final change, 27-31.
Ivanhoe added the first goal of the last quarter, but started to tense up and played defensively, which allowed Kilmore back into the game. The Blues levelled the scores at the 20-minute mark, and five minutes of tense football saw neither team get a score until a free kick for a ruck infringement 35 metres out from goal gave Ivanhoe a shot to win after the siren, which was duly delivered.
The Blues will have to regroup and defeat Fitzroy Stars on Sunday to maintain their dream of back-to-back flags.
Hayden Phillips, Clark, McMillan, Jack Stonehouse, Mathew Lawson and Christopher Jackson were all in the best for the Blues.
Kilmore will have three teams playing finals this week, with the under 19.5s ready to take on Bundoora for a spot in the grand final, while Kilmore’s reserves and seniors will have a bumper day at Thomastown on Sunday.
