By ROY WARD
WHILE Doveton Eagles’ spot in the finals is secured, they have a lot to play for in their final regular season match against Lyndale this Saturday.
The Eagles have lost their last two games and will be keen to gain plenty of confidence before a tight Southern Football League division 3 finals series in which all sides appear to have claims on the premiership.
The Eagles lost to Mount Waverley by 16 points in heavy conditions at Charles Green Reserve on Saturday.
The game was moved off the Eagles’ Power Reserve ground as it was deemed unfit for play.
Eagles coach Paul Davis said his side couldn’t afford any more slow starts, an area he believed played a major role in the two losses.
“We were too slow to adapt to the conditions today,” he said.
“You can’t give a start to a side like Mt Waverley and you can’t play two quarters of footy and think you are going to win.”
After the Mountain Lions made a good start, the Eagles fought back into the game controlling long passages of play in the second and third terms, and consistently getting the ball into their forward line.
But on many of those occasions the ball either fell to a Mountain Lions defender or was turned over, allowing the visitors to clear the ball.
The Mountain Lions took a 15-point lead into the second half but by the final change the Eagles had pulled within a point thanks to a team-lifting goal from Davis.
But the Mountain Lions against got clear with a goal to James Gough and then a late shot from Chris Coleman giving them enough room to hold out for victory.
The second half, especially the final term, could have been much different if the Eagles could have converted more opportunities. Several attacks ended in behinds.
Davis said his side had to convert better heading into the finals.
“We probably didn’t take our opportunities. We had the ball in our forward line a lot but we couldn’t get those goals and it hurts because we don’t get that reward for our work up the ground.”
In division 2, Springvale Districts will be fighting for their finals lives in the last round of the season this Saturday.
The Demons face fourth-placed Murrumbeena at Springvale Reserve and must win to have any hope of getting past Bentleigh and into fifth place.
Even a Demons win could have them fall short of fifth place, with Bentleigh starting as favourites in a clash with Southern Dragons.
In division 1 Dingley has secured a place in the top five heading into the finals after a win on Saturday.
The Dingoes will face either Cheltenham or St Paul’s, depending on final round results.
