St Bedes / Mentone Tigers confirmed their place in the VAFA ‘A’ Grade final four in their first year in the top eschelon with an emphatic win over University Blacks.
The Tigers put in their best all round team performance of the year on a bleak winter’s day at the University Oval
Blacks came out with all guns blazing in a physical opening but were unable to maintain the effort as the Tigers matched them for ferocity at the ball and bettered them with quick-fire handball and hard-running in numbers in support of a teammate.
The Tigers led by 33 points at half-time and continued after the break to refuse to allow Blacks any space and racked up an outstanding tackle-count such that Blacks who scored the first goal of the game only scored their second minutes before 3/4 time.
The University team ran hard early in the last to score 3 consecutive goals but SBMT quickly restored order with some strong-willed, hard-at-it footy to run out meritorious 53 point winners.
The game not only saw the Tigers into the finals but also saw the return to form of as many as 6 or 7 of their running brigade.
Next week, in the last round of the home-and-away season, the Tigers play Old Ivanhoe at Brindisi Street for the right to a second semi final berth.
The U19s had an excellent 36 point win over fellow Premier Division, finals-aspirant Old Scotch to remain a game clear at the top of the table.