MILLICENT kept its Western Border football finals’ hopes alive at McLaughlin Park on Saturday with a convincing 37-point win over South Gambier.
Both sides entered the clash with a top-four position hanging on the result, with the Saints sitting third on the ladder and the Demons in fifth spot with four points separating them.
With three minor rounds to go South now need to win its remaining games, while relying on Millicent and Casterton Sandford to lose theirs – an almost impossible ask as it also has to pick up a huge amount of percentage.
The Demons’ last three games are against bottom side West Gambier, and the top two – East Gambier and North Gambier.
Millicent is now assured of a top-four finish and is set to end the year in third or fourth spot on the ladder, with the remaining matches against East, North and Casterton-Sandford.
Saturday’s clash was played in wet, slippery conditions, with rain falling for most of the game, making goals hard to come by.
Both sides entered the match with a long list of injuries and having to play a number of Under 17’s.
The lead at each change was within reach of both sides, with neither able to break clear, resulting in many ball-ups.
It was only in the final term where the home side was able to build a match-winning lead.
The Demons had first use of a four to five-goal breeze, but could not use it to advantage.
The Millicent backline kept them to just two majors for the term, while they managed to stay in touch with two of their own.
Mitch Reilly recorded the opening goal of the game for the Saints in the first few minutes, but Brayden Kain gained an immediate reply.
The only other majors during the quarter came from Dylan Ridding (South) and Dylan Bromley (Millicent) to see the visitors holding a two point lead at the first break.
The Demons were kept scoreless in the second, but the home side could only manage another two goals, with the match still in the balance at the long break.
The scrambly play continued in the third, with both sides only managing a goal each.
The Saints led by 13 points at the last change as both sides were becoming frustrated with the conditions, resulting a melee involving all players.
Millicent’s James Weir snapped a goal in the opening few minutes of the final quarter to ensure his side would gain the points and a second came shortly after through the agency of key forward Dylan Bromley – the first of his two for the term.
The Demons failed to add to their score in the term and at the final siren the home side had recorded an 8.11 to 3.4 win.
In the next round Millicent hosts second-placed East Gambier, which is suffering a lapse in form in recent weeks, having lost their last two matches to North and the improving Casterton-Sandford.
This will be the match of the round as both sides will be keen to record a win to retain their spots on the ladder – East sits in second spot and Millicent third.
A win to either side will not change the ladder position, but will provide a sighter of how they will perform in the finals.
South meets bottom side, West Gambier and will hope to get a number of players back from injury to ensure they put up a good showing.
