SEYMOUR fell just a kick away from completing a memorable season sweep against Echuca on the weekend at Tongala, letting slip a golden half time opportunity.
A win would have secured third place with two games remaining, with the Lions now needing to bounce back in their final home game of the season against Shepparton Swans in two weeks’ time.
A tentative start for both teams saw just three goals scored in the opening term, with the Lions trailing 10-14 at the first change.
However, the Lions were all over Echuca throughout the second term, kicking six of the first seven goals of the quarter to suddenly hold a 23-point lead. A late goal for Echuca meant it was a 16-point lead for the Lions at the main break, 47-31.
Just as Seymour had blown the game out of the water in the second term, it was Echuca’s turn to respond in the third, and the end result was a five-goal to one term which turned the game on its head, with Echuca turning for home up by nine points, 65-56.
It was a classic goal-for-goal affair in the last term as both teams battled it out in a juicy early-finals preview.
Echuca opened up a 14-point lead, but Seymour battled back to reduce the margin to two points.
The Lions ran out of time, however, losing 12.10 (82) to 12.13 (85).
Tom Stapleton, Dylan Cook, Nicholas Quigg, Huw Jones and Xavier Dimasi were all named in the best for the Lions, while Lewis Lubeck led the goalkickers with three.
The reserves and under 18s both took heavy losses, while it was also a tough day for the netballers, with only B-reserve taking victory, winning by eight goals. A-grade lost by 10 goals, while B-grade lost by five.
