The Tigers went down to Old Xaverians by 10 points, after storming home in the last quarter only to come up just short, at Brindisi Street on a perfect day for football on Saturday. As has been the case all year, the Tigers started with a flurry and ‘owned’ the football for the first 15 minutes but again failed to punish the opposition – who did not enter the attacking 50 once in that time – on the scoreboard. Xavs, however, did win some ball late in time-on and managed 2 belated goals to fortuitously trail by only 3 points at the first break. In the second, the Kew boys regained the ascendency and banged on 6 majors and threatened to break the game open but were ultimately thwarted by stern defence from Anthony Scafidi, Hiwad Shakaib and Patrick Tyquin. After the break, the floodgates did open and the Xaverians ran in numbers and moved the ball all over the ground with ease and seemingly scored at will to whip the Tigers 5 goals to 1 and take a matchwinning lead of 38 points into 3/4 time with an embarrassing blowout appearing imminent for the home team. However, this St Bedes team was not to be discounted, notwithstanding the deficit, their well-earnt reputation is to run-on in the last and they began to rattle the ball forward with Simon Richards starring and Andrew Scafidi back in sparkling form they banged on 3 unanswered goals to at last get the big crowd on its feet. Xavs kicked the next against the flow to restore order and a 28 point margin but the Tigers ralled again with 3 more of their own as the 2009 premiers looked out on their feet and with the Mentone team full of running an amazing come-from-behind victory looked possible. The Tigers surged forward again into the flooded forward half but were unnaccountably denied two important opportunities to enter their attacking 50 and were left to lament a 3/4 time margin that was just too great to run down. The Tigers’ Reserves won a cliffhanger by 3 points with the last kick of the day against the previously-undefeated Xaverians while the U18s remained undefeated with a 6 point win over ladder-leader Oakleigh. The Tigers’ journey to East Malvern next Saturday to take on premiership favourites De La Salle who appear to be now running into some of their 2009 form.