By Tara Murray
The Sunbury Lions hung on for a thrilling win to keep their season alive in the Essendon District Football League Women’s competition.
Facing Keilor in an elimination final, the Lions entered the match as favourites.
The match was an arm wrestle right to the end.
Lions coach Kerry Saunders said it was a nervous few minutes at the end of the game
“We were lucky to get the win,” she said.
“They were in front in the first quarter and we got in front in the second quarter.
“It was 50-50 who would win with the ball spending the last few minutes in their 50. They had a couple of shots on goal and missed.
The game could have gone either way.”
Keilor had a free kick late in front of goal to reduce the margin to a point, but it fell short on the siren giving the Lions a 3.3 (21)-2.2 (14) win.
Olivia Cairo kicked two goals for the Lions with Kelsie Gill kicking the other.
Cairo was named the Lions best, along with Yolanda Jones and Krystie Dudley.
The win sets up a knockout semi-final clash with cross-town rival the Sunbury Kangaroos.
The Kangaroos lost their qualifying final to Burnside Heights by four points.
The last time the Lions and the Kangaroos met, the Kangaroos won in windy conditions under lights.
Saunders said they would to play better than they did on Sunday if they are to beat the Kangaroos.
“We didn’t play that well,” she said. “They were above us on the ladder and we will need to pull something out of the bag to at least make it close.”
Saunders said she was hoping that the match would be played in much better conditions than the last time the two teams met.
“It was horrible conditions, it was absolutely freezing.
“Hopefully it’s an okay kind of day and a good day for football.”
Saunders said their sixth placed finish after the regular season was about where they sat this year.
She said it had been challenging with a number of their newer players suffering injuries.
In the other elimination final, Westmeadows was too good for Strathmore.
The Tigers led at every break, but didn’t break the game open until the third quarter when they kicked two early goals.
Both teams scored two goals each in the last quarter, with the Tigers winning 7.12 (54)
-4.0 (24).
Meanwhile, the Sunbury Lions youth girls side had the bye at the weekend after claiming the minor premiership.
The Lions face Westmeadows this week, after the Tigers upset Pascoe Vale on Sunday.
The under-15s also had a bye after finishing top. This week they will play Moonee Valley, who beat Taylors Lakes.
