Reid Clarke (42) and Josh Vagg saw the Lakers to 1-94 before they lost 5-33 at Stan Hargreaves Oval.

Matt Knight took his season runs tally to 428 with a half century and received solid support from 15-year-old second- gamer James Jordon (27) as the third-placed Lakers reached 188.

Jeremy Wilson, Jacob Schonafinger and Mark Drage each claimed three wickets for the visitors.

“We got off to a really good start but the middle order, and probably some of the senior guys, didn’t quite go on with the job,” Lakers captain Pat Martin said.

“I think 188 with the bowling attack we have is really defendable.

“If we can get a few early wickets we are definitely in the game.

“If we can win here we could potentially finish top-two so it’s a really big game for where we want to go.”

Martin was full of praise for Knight.

“He’s in pretty rare form,” he said.

“He had to work hard, they bowled really well to him but he adjusted and batted for a really long time.”

Elsewhere, Ovens Valley is on track to bring down finals-bound Wangaratta, Corowa faces a challenge to reel in Benalla Bushrangers’ 175, Greta has already taken first innings points against Delatite and Beechworth should cruise home against Benalla Violet Town United.