EAST Gambier opened proceedings in Saturday’s Western Border Football League grand final day with a hard-fought eight-point win over South Gambier in the Under 13 competition.
The young Bulldogs set up the win with two straight goals in the opening term, while the Demons were off line, kicking one major and one minor to trail by five at the first break.
But in what would become a classic grand final clash, the Demons hit back in the second term, booting two goals to steal the lead by the half-time break.
East returned serve in third, leading by as much as 10 points early, while holding the Demons scoreless.
But a free kick to South in the goal square saw the margin reduced to just six points at the final break.
The final stanza was a typical arm wrestle, with East managing two behinds to force two straight kicks for a Demons victory.
As time wound down that scenario looked likely, with South pushing forward, but time was fast running out.
With just a minute on the clock the Bulldogs cleared the danger zone and were home, celebrating wildly as the final siren sounded.
For the victors, Sam Lock kicked two goals, while Thomas Bignell, Gage Parsons and Jack Lawrence added singles.
Liam Turley, Mitchell Harold, Noah Sims and Benjamin Young contributed singles for the Demons.
South’s Jake Walker was named best-on-ground.
Best for the Bulldogs were Lock, Usher Lopez-Lara, Bignell, Darby Hunt, Riley Flamank and Keenan Dwyer.
Best for the Demons were Walker, Jack Domaschenz, Joshua Holmes, Hunter Elliott, Harrold and Lochlan Thiele.
