IT was almost the perfect weekend for the City of Whittlesea’s teams as the Northern Football Netball League reaches the business end of the season.
Whittlesea held off a late fightback from Lower Plenty to take a crucial away win, keeping alive its finals chances with a one-point triumph.
The result leaves the Eagles just half a game outside the top five in what looks like a furious finish to the division two season, with the knowledge that eight teams still in the running cannot fit into five.
The Eagles fought back magnificently in the opening quarter after conceding two quick goals to Lower Plenty in the first two minutes, with Paul Higgins’ two goals, Riley Powell and Khaled El-Leissy helping them take a 29-20 lead into the first break.
Two quick goals from Riley Gaylard to open the second term meant Whittlesea opened up a 21-point lead, and further efforts by Caden Allen, Jack Morley and Allen again meant the margin soon became a game-high 32 points.
The Eagles went into half time sitting 27 points to the good, but soon fell under pressure, with Lower Plenty kicking four goals in eight minutes to slash the margin to three points.
Higgins responded, but Lower Plenty hit the front for the first time since early in the opening quarter with three quick goals to suddenly lead by 10 points.
A late goal to Jack Taylor meant the Eagles trailed 78-75 at the final change.
After conceding the first goal of the last, the Eagles kicked four straight goals through El-Leissy, Angus Layne, Allen and Powell to lead by 14 points. But as this topsy-turvy game showed, there was no respite, and the Bears kicked two goals to set up a furious finish.
The Eagles held on, scoring a 15.11 (101) to 15.10 (100) victory.
Thomas Falls and Bailey Robinson controlled the midfield, while El-Leissy, Morley, Liam Tyrrell and Kane Johnson performed strongly.
South Morang is just percentage away from top spot after coming back to record a 17-point win over Fitzroy Stars.
The Lions were jumped in the opening term, trailing 20-4, but brought themselves back into the contest in the second term, kicking three goals to one to trail 23-27 at the main break.
The Lions again kicked three goals to one in the third term to take the lead as they turned for home, 41-37, before booting four goals to one in the last term to record a 10.7 (67) to 6.14 (50) win.
Bailey Brown, Nathan Stefanile, Demetrios Constantinou, Jesse John Christidis, Paul Sidhu and Kobe Van Zwienen were the standouts for South Morang in a much-needed victory.
In division three, a hard-fought battle between Ivanhoe and Laurimar was set to decide top spot, with Ivanhoe coming out on top.
Laurimar kept pace in the opening quarter, kicking two goals to trail by three points at the opening change, 18-15.
Ivanhoe took charge in the second term, kicking four goals to two to almost have the game in its safekeeping at the main break, leading 48-28.
However, Laurimar does not give up easily, and the Power kicked four goals to three in the third quarter to set up a grandstand finish, trailing 54-68 at the final change.
Ivanhoe regrouped, kicking four goals to three in the final quarter to eventually win 13.16 (94) to 11.8 (74).
Noah Mooney, Joshua Campbell, Joel Lawson, Cameron Maloney, Josh Leather and Rylan Herrick were in the best for Laurimar, who now have the bye before facing Mernda in the qualifying final in two weeks’ time.
The Demons, for their part, got a good early look at the ground they’ll be facing Laurimar on, defeating Lalor away by 140 points.
The Demons cruised throughout the afternoon, kicking seven goals in the first term to lead by 40 points at the first change, before adding another six goals to lead 85-9 at the main break.
Another six goals to one meant the margin ballooned beyond 100 points at the final change, 124-15, before easing to a 23.18 (156) to 2.4 (16) victory.
Jesse Guelfo was the best man on the ground, while James Sekulovski kicked seven goals. Declan Felle, Jake Bennett, Joshua Caputo and Jayden Bell completed the best players.
