After a narrow one-goal loss to Mansfield at home in round 10 of the Goulburn Valley League’s A-grade netball, Tatura required the tables to turn against reigning premier Shepparton to reassure it was still on track.
And even with Kim Borger returning from Melbourne Vixens duties, the Bulldogs did exactly that.
In a neck-and-neck first half, neither side could break away from one another, with goal-for-goal action leaving the Deakin Reserve crowd biting nails at the edge of their seats.
A 24-25 scoreline in favour of Tatura reflected the tight first half, but the Bulldogs would soon crack the stronghold defence the Bears had deployed in the opening two terms.
The Bulldogs extended their lead to five goals by three-quarter time and, while Shepparton’s Ruby Higgins and Borger worked in tandem to chase the deficit, Tatura’s Charlette Gray and Julia Clarke were steadfast in ensuring the red, white and blue remained on path for a vital victory – 42-50 at full time.
Tatura holds fifth on the ladder, however, the loss has seen the Bears slip to sixth, holding a one-game buffer between its current spot and a fall outside the finals equation.
It is the Bears; fourth loss in a row, following defeats to Echuca, Mansfield and Euroa.
The result sets up a high stakes round 12, with the Bears to play fourth-placed Seymour, while clubs one game off the pace Shepparton United and Mansfield will be hunting victories against Euroa and Rochester respectively to potentially leapfrog Shepparton.
In the weekend’s other results, the Eagles’ finals-fuelling fortnight continued with a valiant challenge of Echuca, but the Murray Bombers would quell their spirited opponent to win 51-41.
Mooroopna debuted Keely Madgwick against Benalla in a 60-goal victory, however, Seymour’s triumph over Kyabram was the round’s largest, 96-12 the final score.
Euroa won by 15 goals over Shepparton Swans to maintain its minor premiership aspirations, while the Demons got the job done by nine goals against a gallant Rochester outfit, 52-61.
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