Round 15 review
Another intriguing round of matches in both netball and football highlighted round fifteen of the SS &A OMFNL played in perfect winter weather.
Two long-standing droughts were broken in both football and netball as the season gets set for a thrilling final three rounds.
North Albury by breaking a 22-match losing streak against Lavington has kept alive its finals hopes in a thrilling 5-point win.
Josh Minogue was the match winner kicking a goal with just minutes remaining then pulling down a huge grab in defence with under a minute to play.
He finished with four goals to be along with Tim Broomhead, Jackson Weideman and George Godde the Hoppers’ best.
For Lavington it was yet another horror day in front of goal-kicking 5-19, at one stage they were 0-13 in the third term.
Darcy Smith finished with three goals before injuring an ankle. The Panthers would now need to win its last three games to have any hope of finals.
Albury and Wangaratta Rovers put on a brilliant spectacle at the Albury Sportsground with the home side getting up by 17 points.
The Tigers kicked the final three goals of the game after Rovers had recovered from a slow start to hit the front at halftime.
The visitors after not kicking a goal in the first quarter hit back with seven goals in the second term. Tom Baulch on return impressed with four goals and Alex Marklew three.
Albury led by four points going into the last quarter after dominant displays from George Horlin-Smith, Jake Gaynor and Isaac Muller.
Rovers remain in 4th position and are now one game and a massive percentage behind third place Wangaratta, Albury is a game and 14 % behind top team Yarrawonga.
The Pigeons led by a brilliant five-goal effort from Leigh Williams proved too strong for Myrtleford winning by 101 points.
Williams took his season tally to 59 to maintain his lead in the Doug Strang Medal. Nick Fothergill and Dylan Conway both kicked four goals and Matt Casey three.
Mark Whiley, Cameron Wilson and Ryan Bruce ran riot in midfield to provide the Pigeon forwards with an abundance of opportunity.
Ashton McPherson enhanced his reputation with a solid performance for the Saints along with Rhys Grant, Brody Ricardi and Tom Sparks.
Earlier in the day it was Myrtleford who stunned Yarrawonga in the netball match of the round, defeating Yarrawonga for the first time in fifteen years.
The Saints’ 44-40 win was without arguably the league’s best player Sophie Hanrahan. Scores were level at halftime until the Saints found another gear to win in brilliant style.
The win has put the Saints into third place equal on wins with 4th placed Lavington and 5th placed Wodonga Raiders – Myrtleford holds a valuable percentage break of 16% over Lavington.
The Panthers were forced to work overtime in beating the dangerous North Albury side. Lavington won a genuine heart-stopper 55-53 to keep alive the double chance.
Wodonga Raiders dropped from 3rd to 5th after suffering a 50-37 loss to second-placed Wangaratta. The Raiders led early but could not hold off the rampant Magpies.
Albury Tigers chalked up its fifth win of the season with a comfortable 50-37 win over Wangaratta Rovers to remain in sixth place.
