Lions bounce back

■ South Morang have picked up a vital four points to keep their Division 2 finals hopes alive, defeating Northcote Park by 15 points at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.

The Lions trailed by a point at half time before kicking six goals to four in the second half and while they had to grab the lead back in the last term, they did enough to prevail 11.14 (80) to 10.5 (65) and end a three-game losing streak.

After dropping out of the top five for the first time all season last week, South Morang reentered the top half and are a game clear in fourth spot.

The Cougars meanwhile hold onto fifth position, and are just four percent clear of Watsonia, making their battle next week a potential finals deciding contest.

Demetrios Constantinou was enormous and produced one of his best games of the season. He held up the Lions’ backline, having multiple intercept possessions and always creating effective handball chains from the back half.

Gary Moorcroft continued his excellent form in the forward line, booting five goals, two of them coming in the last term. It’s the most he’s kicked in a game since Round 8, and he now has 43 goals for the season.

Alexander Boyse single-handedly kept the Cougars in the hunt during the final term, kicking all three of his goals in the quarter, while winning every marking contest inside 50.

Meanwhile veteran Christopher Clark displayed a brilliant performance for the visitors. He was very effective by foot and his game was highlighted by two long range majors in the first term.

Moorcroft got things underway for the hosts by kicking the opening goal of the match after receiving a downfield free kick within the first 30 seconds.

But the Cougars then took control, with their ball winning ability allowing them to put the pressure on the Lions defenders and kick three of the next four goals to go into the first change with a three-point lead.

South Morang responded with the opening major of the second term as despite dropping the mark, Liam Jolly kicked the ball off the ground to regain the lead for his side.

The pressure from both sides were exceptional and illustrated the importance the win would have for both side’s finals chances.

Gary Hall’s men again had the ascendency in the early stages, but Northcote Park slowly started to win the ball back and a simple set shot goal from Joseph Hess 11 minutes into the quarter saw the visitors hit the front.

Both sides then traded goals. First it was the Lions as Tye Hall launched to take a brilliant mark and convert close to goal, before Matthew D’Angelo won a free kick and responded for the away side.

Each team finished with three goals apiece for the quarter but while South Morang won the term, inaccuracy meant they trailed by a point at the main break.

The third term wasn’t as much of an arm wrestle as the first half, with the Lions taking complete control of the contest.

They limited the Cougars’ possession of the footy and defended exceptionally well when the visitors looked to surge forward.

As a result, Northcote Park were kept scoreless in the quarter and while the Lions had seven scoring shots, they could only muster 2.5 for their efforts.

It meant that Stephen Saddington’s men only trailed by 16 points at the final change, a more than gettable deficit to reach.

An opening minute goal from Boyse looked to switch the momentum into Northcote Park’s favour early in the last quarter.

Joshua D’Intinosante got one back to settle nerves of South Morang fans but the Cougars would not lie down as a tough set shot from Boyse found its way through the big sticks to reduce the deficit to 10.

Curic kept the surge going by running into the open goal before another mark and goal from Boyse suddenly had the visitors in front and in full control of the game.

But just as Northcote Park looked to run away with the match, the Lions started to win the ball out of the middle and the goals soon came from their ability to maintain possession in their attacking half.

Moorcroft’s set shot conversion gave the advantage back to the hosts before a miracle goal from Koby Davies had the Lions buzzing as they approached time on.

The Cougars tried desperately to recreate the blitz that saw them hit the front earlier in the quarter.

Boyse took another mark inside 50 but this time couldn’t convert, before Moorcroft’s fifth goal of the afternoon sealed a return to the winner’s list and return to the top five for South Morang.