The Lions remain fifth on the ladder, for now, with eight wins from 13 rounds of competition.
They are now, however, equal on points with the team they lost to on the weekend — Dookie United.
Dookie has two winnable games to end the season, against Merrigum and Tallygaroopna, with its other opponent in the run to the finals being out of form Shepparton East.
Stanhope faces top-of-the-ladder Nagambie this weekend, then has some respite in the form of its match with neighbour (and second-bottom team) Girgarre before facing up against third-ranked Lancaster.
Lancaster will be motivated by the fact that if results go its way it could still claim a top two spot and the double chance for the finals series.
Stanhope kicked an off target 4.11 (35) to lose by 21 points to Dookie 8.8 (56) and without key mid-fielder Nathan O’Reilly was unable to give its forwards enough opportunities to kick a winning score.
Tomas Rennie did manage two goals, taking his season tally to a neat 50 for the year, but only older brother Jake and Jye Adamson were the only other Stanhope players who managed to find the big opening during the match.
Stanhope trailed by just seven points at quarter-time, but the 22-point deficit the side faced at half-time was just about where things stayed at the final siren.
Jonathan Pearson, who has been among the team’s most consistent players on a wing, was its best on the day and key defenders Adam Lovison and Shannon Aynsley also played their part in trying to stem the tide.
If results go the way they are expected to, the Lions will face either Shepparton East or Murchison-Toolamba in the first week of the finals.
