The Eagles, fielding a depleted side due to a number of injuries to significant players, led for the majority of the first half and headed into three-quarter time with just a 20-point deficit.
However, Montmorency exerted its dominance late in the game and earned a healthy percentage boost following a 10-goal to three final quarter to claim the 23.9 (147) to 11.18 (84) win.
With Division 1 coming off its last break before finals, both teams were fired up and ready to play.
Having succumbed to a shattering two-point loss the last time the sides played, Whittlesea raced out of the blocks and hit the scoreboard early thanks to a goal by Nathan Andrews.
Whittlesea continued to dominate the play and had the ball inside its forward 50m for most of the quarter but was unable to put scoreboard pressure on the Magpies.
The Eagles missed a number of gettable chances and Montmorency made them pay with Ben Sinclair and Kayne Pettifer kicking goals to bring their side within two points at quarter-time.
That deficit should have been far greater but for the disappointing 1.9 that Whittlesea posted in the first term.
The Eagles pushed that disappointment aside at the first break and kicked the opening two goals of the second quarter, which included Andrews’ second of the game.
Pettifer then kicked his second as well, but that was quickly cancelled out by another Whittlesea goal.
The sides then traded majors before two in a row to the Eagles, including one to Brenton Briffa, enabled them to take a lead of three goals midway from the quarter.
With a major upset brewing, Montmorency settled and booted the next three goals, two of which came from youngster Luke Collins and another to Pat Fitzgerald.
It was only the Magpies’ accuracy that kept them within four points of their visitor at half time, with Whittlesea leading 6.13 to 7.3.
Dean Limbach chimed in at the start of the third with his first goal to give Montmorency the lead for the first time all day, but his goal was cancelled out by the Eagles’ star ruckman, Jeremy Page.
The Magpies made their charge over the next 10 minutes and three goals from Michael Stevens, Collins and Pettifer game them their biggest lead to that point of the day.
Brenton Briffa tried to stem the flow with his second, but it was Pettifer who again responded with his fourth before Chris Burton broke free for a goal to give the home side a 20-point lead at the last break.
The last quarter was all Mont, with the ladder-leader putting the foot down as Whittlesea’s gallant outfit ran out of gas.
The Magpies kicked six unanswered goals during the term, with Pettifer adding both his fifth and sixth goals.
In the end, the Pies finished with 10 goals in the last term, while the Eagles still managed three of their own, however it was their inaccuracy at the start that cost them dearly.
Next week Montmorency faces another test of epic proportions when it hosts Heidelberg in a top of the table clash of. The winner of the game will sit in top spot of the ladder a month ahead of the finals series.
Whittlesea travels to J.E Moore Park to face West Preston-Lakeside fresh from its dramatic draw against Greensborough.
Final score: Montmorency 23.9 (147) def Whittlesea 11.18 (84)
