ALTONA was always going to make a late run at Hoppers Crossing in the Western Region Football League division 1 on Saturday.
As good sides do, the Vikings found a way when all seemed lost, overcoming a 20-point three-quarter time deficit to win by 10 with a four-goal-to-nil final term.
It was win at all costs for the Vikings, who would have surrendered their top three position to an ever- improving Sunshine Kangaroos had they not claimed the four points.
PARKSIDE: Looking to go one better
HOW TEAMS SHAPE UP: See below
PICTURE GALLERY: Parkside v Wyndhamvale
The usual suspects – Steven Kennedy, Joel Magnabosco, Reece Miles, Lee Spiteri and David Barnaby – dragged the Vikings over the line, while Jayden Post, Mitch Turnbull and James Stephens booted two vital goals apiece.
The double chance is the Vikings’ to hold at the moment, but they have a tough run home.
Spotswood is on the same points as Altona and Sunshine, but its percentage of 232.29 is almost as valuable as an extra win when compared to the Vikings (169.74) and the Kangaroos (149.38).
The Woodsmen, led by six-goal star Christian Elliott, added to their for and against with a 129-point blitz of Yarraville-Seddon at McLean Reserve.
The Kangaroos maintained their hot form with a 36-point victory over St Albans at Kinder Smith Reserve.
With Deer Park almost locked away for the minor premiership, all the interest in division 1 will centre on the two remaining double-chance places.
Spotswood, Altona and Sunshine – all on 48 points – will jostle it out.
All three sides have difficult draws in the run home.
Here is how they shape up:
Spotswood: The only one of the three teams to face ladder leader Deer Park. Will do so away on Saturday, followed by Sunshine (fourth) at home and a potential banana peel in Port Melbourne Colts (seventh) away in the last round.
Altona: Road games against St Albans (fifth) and Sunshine will test the Vikings’ mettle, but they should bank a home win against Yarraville-Seddon (ninth) in between.
Sunshine: Back-to-back road games against Yarraville-Seddon and Spotswood (second), followed by a home clash with Altona (third). Sunshine is the only one of the three teams to feature in two ‘‘eight-point’’ games against sides vying for a top-three finish, so it controls its own destiny, even though it is the worst-placed of the three after round 15.
