Northcote Park held on to produce a thrilling six-point triumph over Watsonia at Binnak Park to keep their slim chance of an MC Labour Division 2 top five finish alive.
After a fast start by the Cougars, the Saints evened things up during the second and third terms, with the margin not reaching greater than nine points from the 15-minute mark of the second quarter.
In a frantic final term, scores were level 14 minutes in, before Jacob Thompson’s fourth major of the day with eight minutes remaining proved to be the final score of the match as the visitors held on for a 11.6 (72) to 10.6 (66) win.
Having now won four of their last five games following an 0-9 start to the 2024 campaign, Northcote Park are just six points away from fifth placed Lower Plenty with four games remaining.
The Saints meanwhile are still a mathematical chance themselves, sitting just two points behind the Cougars in ninth, but will likely need some other results to go their way from here on.
Thompson’s five goals led the way for Anthony Palmer’s men up forward, with his marking inside the attacking half a particular highlight.
Captain Matthew Perry finished as his side’s best again, having now been named in his side’s best in his last six matches.
Luke Grech starred as a utility around the ground for the home side, but did his best work inside forward 50, booting two goals.
Watsonia’s ruck duo of Corey Potter and Lucas Vasilevski had a productive afternoon and were key players in the Saints’ chances of victory.
After being kept goalless last week, Ethan Lowe got things going for Watsonia early in the match with a great forward lead and set shot conversion.
Perry would respond with a captain’s goal, after snapping the ball around his body from almost 40 metres out to get Northcote Park on the board.
The two sides would trade goals again, first through Thompson, who was the benefactory of some clean transitional work from his teammates, before the in-form Daniel Annetta reeled in a spectacular contested mark which he soon converted for the Saints.
But it was clear that the Cougars had settled into the match quicker, and as they dominated territory, they produced the next three goals of the game, with Thompson, Caillin Kett and Jordan Perry all finding the big sticks to make it a 19-point contest.
George Lattouf’s men would then make it a 13-point deficit at the first change after a late Vasilevski goal, his first of the season.
Northcote Park looked to keep their foot on the accelerator to start the second term, with Thompson converting another set shot opportunity to kick his third of the match.
But the Saints would ensure their opponents didn’t get the opportunity to break the game open, as they started to create multiple chains of possessions around the ground.
Luke Pantalone would pop up and fire two goals in a five-minute patch to suddenly reduce the margin to four points, as his side continued to put the pressure on the Northcote Park defensive unit.
A third straight major for the hosts, courtesy of Luke Grech, would regain their lead, but only momentarily as Thompson ended the run with his fourth of the afternoon for the Cougars.
However, the Saints would have the last say of the half, as a great handball chain led to Annetta nailing a running shot on goal from the paint of 50, giving his side a three-point lead half time advantage.
Out of the middle, Watsonia almost capitalised from the first clearance of the third term, as they looked to build on their narrow lead, but it was the away side who would fire first, when Damon Marcon’s major put his side back in front.
Spectators had to wait 15 minutes for the next score as the game went up in intensity.
Lowe had threatened to add to his lone goal in the opening quarter, and eventually did so at the 17-minute mark by taking a strong mark over two Cougars defenders before kicking truly to cause another lead change.
Then after a set shot opportunity fell short, Pantalone found himself at the front of the pack, and took his chance to slot his third, and his team’s ninth goal of the game.
With minutes to go in the quarter, Jordan Perry produced an excellent inside 50 entry to find Janus Waldron on his own, and just as the game was threatening to slip away, Waldron split the middle to see Northcote Park trail by just a point ahead of a highly anticipated final term.
Almost immediately after the siren to commence the last quarter, Watsonia was able to surge their way forward, with Luke Grech taking a great contested mark despite being behind his opponent.
He calmly slotted his second goal of the game, as the Saints found themselves in a good position to steer towards victory.
But Northcote Park would refuse to give in, soon regaining the territory dominance that saw them control proceedings in the opening quarter.
Jonathan Naddaf polished off a scrappy piece of play from the Cougars to bring the margin back to a point with his set shot conversion, before the final 15 minutes of the match was spent inside the visitors’ attacking half.
The Cougars couldn’t capitalise on their ability to keep the ball off Watsonia initially, before Thompson marked in the forward pocket and slammed through his fifth of the day to give his team a six-point advantage.
Despite the hosts best efforts to find another major, they struggled to get the ball inside 50, with the Cougars impressive defence allowing them to hold on for a one-goal win.
