Shepparton United's Timothy Looby.
Photo by
Jazzy Johal
Top Six Shepp.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Shepparton United has re-entered the Goulburn Valley League finals equation after a commanding round 12 win over an inaccurate Euroa, as the stakes continue to grow towards season’s end.
Here’s the current dilemma: five cannot fit into two.
As it stands, four GVL clubs sit on 24 premiership points - Kyabram, United, Rochester and Mooroopna - while Mansfield’s draw earlier this season places the Eagles a touch behind on 22.
The pack formed between fifth and ninth has every single match feeling like a potential eight-point swing, and every extra tally on the margin counts towards a viable percentage to breach a top six spot.
For the Demons, a percentage differential of 0.03 per cent is the margin that has the red and blue holding sixth and Rochester still biding its time on the outskirts.
It comes after a 36-point victory was just enough to edge out the Tigers, who overturned a round two loss to Mansfield to win on Saturday.
But it was no easy feat for the Demons.
Euroa matched Shepparton United’s scoring shots in the first quarter, but the signs of an ugly trend in front of goal began, with United’s 3.2 (20) outscoring Euroa’s five behinds.
United fired away to 33-point half time lead with a four-goal-to-one second term, before a similar period after the main break placed the Demons ahead by 52 at the final change of ends, as once again Euroa struggled with a return of 1.4 in the quarter.
The Magpies’ 2.11 at three-quarter-time was a sore sight, but the black and white aimed to rectify its performance in the last quarter, scoring 4.5 to United’s 2.1, resulting in a final score of 13.10 (88) to 6.16 (52).
Euroa had no answers for key forward Matthew Casey, the sharpshooter scoring seven goals to sit one major behind GVL leading goalkicker Riley Mason, Casey on 36 following round 12.
Sheldon Bogdan earned best on ground for the Demons, while Euroa skipper Jett Trotter’s two goals were behind the captain’s honours in the best for the Magpies.
A win against Shepparton in the Deakin Derby would be monumental for the Demons’ campaign next week, while Euroa could play the villain and snare a win off a struggling Mansfield that’s won just one match in the last month of GVL senior football.
13°C