Harper Sercombe
Despite a loss on Saturday, results have fallen the Sunbury Lions way to take them a step further to playing Ballarat Football League finals.
The Lions lost to North Ballarat by just 12 points on Saturday, in what seems to be a finals preview, with Roosters and Lions in fourth and fifth position respectively.
Sunbury coach Travis Hodgson said he was encouraged by his side’s performance but said they missed their moments as they lost 10.13 (73)- 8.13 (61).
“I felt it was a really even game of footy,” Hodgson said.
“It might have been the difference, they’re a good side, they’re hard to beat at home, so to get within around 10 points, probably again indicates how close we are.
“It was disappointing we weren’t able to tip them over but it’s a bit like Melton the week before, it was probably a reasonably accurate reflection of our ladder positions.”
After beating the Roosters in a round one clash at home, and finals now just around the corner, the sides are every chance to meet each other on a neutral ground in the finals series
“It was a really interesting game and I think both sides have shown that if that were to be the case, it would be a really good game of footy,” he said.
Saturday’s match was an even contest from siren to siren, however the Roosters were able to maintain their lead at each break.
After bringing the deficit down from 22 points at half time to only eight points at three quarter time, Hodgson said when the game was there to be won, his side failed to execute.
“We had three shots on goal in the last quarter to bring the margin to less than a kick and we didn’t nail them unfortunately,” he said.
“As a side at the moment we do a lot right, I thought we played 110 to 120 minutes really well, but at the moment we’re not just taking those moments like good sides do.
“It’s probably reflected in our position as slightly above mid-field.”
With other sides around them such as Redan and East Point also not managing to register a win in round 16, it gives the Lions a bit of breathing space. Now only one win from their remaining two games guarantees them a spot in September.
They currently sit a game and percentage ahead of Redan and East Point.
“We don’t want to be relying on other sides, but the reality is, if they would have won yesterday they would have squared up with games [won],” Hodgson said.
“The focus for us is just repeating the effort and the intent that we have produced over the last two weeks against good sides.
“We’ve had a pretty reasonable five weeks, we won three on the trot, against East Point, Melton South and Ballarat, and then the two close losses to two pretty good sides, both away.
“I think our body of work over the last five weeks is pretty good.
“Hopefully we start to take our chances and nail our moments, and turn those losses into wins, just so we’re in the best spot we can be when we get to that first week of finals.”
The Lions will face ninth placed Bacchus Marsh on the weekend, to guarantee a finals berth.
