Watsonia’s rapid surge towards a MC Labour Division 2 finals birth took another step forward at Binnak Park, when they defeated South Morang by 29 points.
In a huge fourth vs fifth contest, the Lions looked eager to gain control early through countless pressure acts around the ground.
Though once the hosts started connecting on their kicking chains and tightened up their backline, it would be smooth sailing run to the finish, as the Saints marched on to a 16.9 (105) to 11.10 (76) victory.
Watsonia now leapfrog the Lions into fourth spot on percentage, while South Morang drop out of the top five for the first time all season with three games to play out in the home and away campaign.
Both these sides, as well as fifth placed Northcote Park all sit on the same points at the end of Round 15, making for a dramatic finish to the finals race.
For the Saints, Daniel Annetta found best use of the ball, with a performance that offered a mix of attacking and defending while also contributing to the midfield.
But the star combination of Julian Janev and Kobe Van Zwienen took hold of the team in the second half, by guiding the ball in the forward-50 well enough for James Lucente to snag six goals for the day and take his season tally to 62 majors.
The Lions found a spark from Lachlan Potter’s explosive clearances while stability from the play of Deacon Kalpakis kept the backline in-check when they were under siege.
Paul Sidhu, Nathan Stefanile, Adrian D’Intinosante and James Hewson were the other standouts for the Lions, Stefanile in particular had big moments that gifted his side momentum when they needed it the most.
Kain Hall would be the one to boot the first six points of the day, after a tackle inside-50 that led to a set shot and the lead for the Lions.
The Saints would respond in blistering fashion with goals from James Love and Kobe Van Zwienen, that flipped the scoreboard the Saints way in the blink of an eye.
Adrian Alfonsi and James Lucente would follow suit from set shot distance, while Daniel Annetta dazzled the crowd by breaking through a tackle and then snapping to help establish a 23-point quarter lead for the home side.
The Lions came out hungry to start the second, with Joshua D’Intinosante kicking true for a goal before James Hewson leaked out from the pack and snapped a major that reduced the deficit to 11.
But again, Watsonia would respond. From 50 metres out, Blake Charles would guide the ball between the two big posts, with Van Zwienen then continuing his immense influence on the game by setting up Alfonsi for another major.
It would continue to go the Saints’ way thereafter, as Alfonsi’s third goal made it a 30-point half time advantage.
George Lattouf’s side would keep up the pace in the third term as they started to find their stride with their quick play of the ball through the middle. Fraser Kubeil would find himself on the end of one of those plays to further extend the margin.
However, the Lions would find solace in Gary Moorcroft in the attacking half, after booting two majors back-to-back that swung the momentum back in the way of the visitors.
Another goal would come from a toe poke by Liam Jolly, but Watsonia’s Mitchell Brownhill would respond with a major of his own to send the Saints 24 points to the good heading into the last quarter.
Lucente would find the big sticks once more to open the final term, with Brownhill picking up where he left off to boot his second goal of the afternoon. stretching the margin to 36 points.
Moorcroft would again rise up to the occasion and boot a major to give hope for a Lions comeback.
But the Saints still had a hand over the possession battle, it would pay off with Lucente firing two more shots through the big sticks to take the lead out to a game-high 43 points.
Signs of life from South Morang would show from the likes of Adrian D’Intinosante, with an around the body snap that went through for a goal, while Tye Hall topped off a terrific game with a major to bring the deficit back down to 31.
As time was running low, it was the dominant Lucente who would hammer the final nail in the coffin, as his set shot conversion marked his sixth major of the game and a brilliant triumph for the hosts.
