By Gus Underwood
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
LANCASTER pulled off the first major upset of the Kyabram District Football League finals with a gutsy elimination final win over Avenel.
The sixth-placed Wombats led at every change and withstood a last-quarter lunge by the third-positioned Swans to win by 16 points at Longwood.
Lancaster now faces Stanhope in another sudden death final at Undera this Sunday while Nagambie hosts reigning premier Tallygaroopna at Nagambie in a qualifying final on Saturday.
Stanhope just got the better of Murchison Toolamba in the other elimination final at Violet Town on Sunday.
X “We came to play. I thought we were pretty good against Tally and Nagambie in recent games and I think we got the benefit of those hit-outs more than Avenel, who hadn’t played any tough games in the last month,’’ said Lancaster coach Corey Carver in summing up his team’s win.
Carver said a few positional changes enabled the Swans to finish hard and get within 15 points in the last quarter.
‘‘We were a bit knackered then because we had worked really hard early to get a good break on them,’’added Carver.
Carver said Darwin fly-in recruit Tom Davies set the mood for the Wombats to surprise Avenel, who had lost only two games for the season.
Austin Bizzotto with three goals, and Zaid Besim and Zac Cerrone with two each were able to kick the goals to hurt the Swans.
Bizzotto has relished a move from defence into attack in the past two games.
Adam Vick led a tight Lancaster defence for three quarters in inspiring fashion and received plenty of support from Besim Besim, who continued his fine season in a key defensive role.
Carver said ruckman Coby O’Neill produced his best game for the season in the ruck where he worked tirelessly all day with tough nut fellow onballer Steve Thomson.
X Stanhope just had the better of Murchison-Toolamba in a titanic struggle in the other elimination final on Sunday at Violet Town.
There was hardly a straight kick or more between the two sides for three quarters in a good old-fashioned arm wrestle. But four last-quarter goals to the combine’s three after holding a six-point lead at the last break got the Lions over the line by 16 points.
Daniel Brock, a hero the previous day for the Stanhope thirds, kicked three goals and was a real handful for the combine defence.
Tom Hepburn, who was able to curb the early dominance of the combine’s James Milne when moved onto him, Alec Young and Sam Woodward in particular were prime movers for the winners all day.
Elusive forward Jonathan Pearson was able to make the most of his limited chances and his four goals in the grimly fought affair were telling.
Apart from Milne, Ashton Cashion in the midfield, Luke Jones and Luke Cecchin kept their side in the game with support from Adam McGibbon and Shane Kay.
With the game in the balance, Stanhope coach Cobey Aynsley said at half-time it was about buying into his team’s structure and not panicking.
‘‘The boys trusted that in return and gave me everything they had. Full credit to the boys and I thought we didn’t have any passengers on the day.’’
Aynsley was also full of praise for the young players in the Stanhope side for their enthusiastic input.
RESERVES
Lancaster reserves, who finished third, were dumped from the final series by sixth-placed Nagambie in an upset.
The Wombats had their nose just in front at half time and three-quarter time but fell away in the last term as Nagambie slammed on five goals to three to run out 14-point winners.
Jayden Rosin did his bit for Lancaster, snaring six goals, while Luke Donnell, Jarad Baldwin, Jamie Scapin, Rob Salter and Liam Nedeljkovich also played well for the losers in a disappointing finish to the season.
X Undera ended Girgarre’s season with a 15-point win in the other elimination final.
Undera got on top in the second quarter with Elliott Bailey, Jake Dryden and Brandon White dominant and although Daniel Ford, Simon Tomasini, Billy Gahan and Chris Milnes tried hard to rally the Roos they couldn’t get enough support.
THIRDS
Stanhope and Merrigum thirds remain in the flag hunt after wins over Murchison-Toolamba and Nagambie respectively.
Daniel Brock started his big day by booting six goals as Stanhope prevailed by 51 points.
Joe Holloway, Ricky Glass, Zayne Gilbert and Declan Thomson were also good players for the Lions.
X Merrigum was control of its clash with Nagambie on the scoreboard from the start and ran out 26-point winners.
Ethan McLaren’s four goals was a top contribution in the win in which the young Bulldogs had other telling players in Jack Schoots, Rob Piper, Sam McAdam and Chris Haines.