The Devils opened up a 3-0 advantage inside 25 minutes and took it into the main break.

Stuart Vance drew a penalty in the third minute which he neatly tucked away, before a clean finish from Adam Burchell doubled the advantage after 21 minutes.

Just 60 seconds later, Brendan Barton produced a stunning strike from the edge of the box which caught the underside of the crossbar and went in to extend Wangaratta’s margin to a very ominous 3-0.

But it was a tale of two halves.

Matt Park opened the Savoys’ account nine minutes in to the second stanza and it was soon 3-2 after a cracking volley from Nagus Henry.

Both sides continued to exchange shots on goal, before a free kick from Park deflected in off the wall to level it with 15 to play.

George Elkotta almost put the home side back in front on two occasions, while Park also had an opportunity to grab a late winner, but 3-3 was how it would remain.

Myrtleford co-coach Jayden Vescio admitted the first half was the worst 45 minutes he had witnessed his side play.

“I don’t like bringing the boys in (at half-time) and ripping through them, it’s AWFA not the English Premier League, but I put it on them and they responded, particularly the young kids that have come through the system,” Vescio said.

“I put it on them to really play for the shirt today and they did in the second half.

“We were pretty unlucky not to win it in the end.

“They did have chances in the second half, but I think Sam Morgan’s job on Adam Burchell was fantastic.

“It’s a little bit of a wake-up call, these boys want to win a league after winning the cup last year.”

A stunned Connor Heffernan said it felt like a loss for Wangaratta. 

“After the first half, I’m not going to lie, I thought we’d finally showed up this season,” the Devils’ coach said.

“Myrtleford were good, but we let them back into the game.

“It was all down to us taking our foot off the gas and everything we did in the first half, we didn’t do in the second half.

“Every single player was on it, but in the second half every single player wasn’t.

“That’s why they’re top of the league, because they’re consistent.”

Myrtleford maintains the Darrel Van Der Steeg Memorial Shield for another year, while Vance was voted the best player on the ground.