Seniors returned to the winners’ list with a gritty win against Old Trinity in front of a boisterous and supportive crowd at Brindisi Street.
Old Trinity started the game looking anything but a relegation candidate with a 6-goal, hard-running, attacking opening quarter to stun the Tigers and turn 24 points in front.
The Tigers regrouped and with a slight breeze replied with an avalanche of 8 straight goals before the visitors fought back with a couple on half-time to go to the long break 8 points in arrears.
The third quarter was a tight struggle with the visitors refusing to yield to the more fancied Tigers and with some good long-range goalkicking went to orange time at level-pegging.
Trinity kicked the first goal of the last quarter but with Daniel Poynton unflappable in the last line of defence, Dean Porter marking strongly at both ends of the ground and an outstanding all round game from Simon Richards, the Tigers resumed transmission and held sway in a tight and entertaining last quarter.
In the end the margin of 21 points probably didn’t do justice to Trinity who refused to concede at any point and with this performance showed clearly that they shouldn’t be in the relegation zone. The Reserves scored their secoond win of the season in a narrow victory whilst the Club XVIII, after a highly-successful season under coach David L’Huillier, bowed out of the finals race with a hard-fought 12 point first semi-final loss at VAFA headquarters while the U19s continued on their winning way with a strong 36 point win to remain on top of U19 Premier Division. The Under 19 South side lost to Bentleigh.