Wangaratta proves too strong for Myrtleford in Ovens and Murray league

The red-hot competition fancies were always in control, but after racking up an average winning margin of 117 points over the first five rounds, the Saints slashed that with a gutsy 13.14 (92) to 9.6 (60) result.

Pies' Morris medallist Callum Moore and Ben Reid kicked four goals apiece, along with the visitors' Ryley Sharp.

"I think it's our best win for the year," Reid offered, somewhat surprisingly following four straight three-figure wins.

"You can say the floggings are good, but against a good outfit, to be challenged, the boys responded, in the last quarter, we really ground them out and kicked a couple late to put it away."

The Saints will take heart from Reid's appraisal of the win, in slippery conditions.

"It's easy to look at the games they've played and people might think they're unbeatable, but we felt if we could take their outside run away, we'd be right in the game," co-coach Dawson Simpson reasoned.

"With Wangaratta, they've got so much firepower up forward, it's about keeping the ball outside of the forward line and don't let them run on the outside, they were able to score heavily from that in the other games."

The Pies' forward line is the most intimidating the league has seen in the past 25 years.

At the start of the game, former AFL forward Michael Newton was on the edge of the goal square, Collingwood premiership player Reid was 15m upfield and ex-Richmond, Carlton forward Callum Moore was another 15m away.

The Pies were missing Morris Medal fancy Joe Richards (see story beside) and Matt Kelly, but it didn't stop them jumping the Saints, although the former trailed for the first time this year when Sharp kicked the first behind.

Wangaratta led by 19 points at quarter-time through four individual goalkickers, including Moore and Reid, but Myrtleford's Murray Waite kicked the game's best goal.

Late in the third quarter, Waite palmed off an opponent, which propelled him towards the boundary, but he still produced a miracle left foot snap.

However, Matt Munro (two goals) was clearly the Saints' best and should poll Morris Medal votes, despite the outstanding form of Moore and pacy on-baller Abraham Ankers, while ruck Chris Knowles and defender Mat Grossman were also terrific.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The ladder leaders are now away to winless Wodonga Raiders, while Myrtleford hosts a rejuvenated Wodonga.

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