Murray Bombers hold off Mansfield

A run of five unanswered goals in the period saw Echuca race out to what seemed an unassailable 50-point lead at three-quarter time.

The Eagles did provide Simon Maddox’s side with some late nerves in the fourth, as the home side produced its own five goals to zero quarter, but it came too late in the piece as Echuca prevailed 10.20 (80) to 8.11 (59).

The see-sawing second half followed a first-half battle that saw inaccuracy rear its ugly head for Echuca, which recorded the first 11 scores of the game, albeit only four of them being majors.

Mansfield kicked the next three goals after the visitor led 31-0, reducing the margin to 12 midway through the second quarter.

But that was the closest the Eagles came to Echuca, which can look back on its strong first and third quarters as key to securing another four points, despite a lacklustre finish.

A 10th win of the season for the Murray Bombers has them still sitting second, behind Shepparton on percentage, the league leader having thrashed Tatura at Deakin Reserve.

With that victory, the Bears boosted their percentage to more than 200.

Echuca’s big three-quarter time lead against Mansfield being significantly reduced impacted its ability to make up ground on Shepparton in that department.

This weekend Maddox’s team plays a Benalla side that has lost five matches in a row, its average margin of defeat during that period being 67.8 points.