Yarrawonga coach Mark Whiley admits he's at a loss to explain the club's final quarter fadeouts after holding on for a thrilling seven-point win over Corowa-Rutherglen in the Ovens and Murray Football League on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The visitors led by 19 points at three-quarter time, but the Roos stormed home to fall 11.7 (73) to 10.6 (66).
The Pigeons suffered the greatest final term fadeout of the past 20 years in coughing up a 38-point lead against Wangaratta Rovers a fortnight ago, failing to score, while Wodonga also kept the club goalless last week.
Yarrawonga kicked only three behinds to snare a 17-point win and it looked like the club would go a third successive week without a final term major until Ryan Einsporn landed the match-winner with only 42 seconds left.
"When you lead at three-quarter time, teams are obviously going to roll the dice, but I don't know the exact answer (for the fadeouts), we've got to definitely address it," Whiley revealed.
When you lead at three-quarter time, teams are obviously going to roll the dice, but I don't know the exact answer (for the fadeouts), we've got to definitely address it.
- Yarrawonga coach Mark Whiley
The Pigeons went into the match without boom recruit Michael Gibbons (calf) and Lach Howe (ankle), but it didn't slow them as they raced to a 30-point lead at the 21-minute mark of the first quarter.
Leigh Williams kicked three of those five, including a strong pack mark after just a minute to stamp his authority.
But the Roos kicked the last two of the stanza, including a 50m bomb from Jarred Lane.
By the 12-minutes mark of the second term, the Roos had the lead with Lane landing another from distance.
The home side then lost three players in six minutes with Hayden Filliponi (suspected ribs), Matt Wilson (knee) and Max Sutch-Taylor (shoulder) leaving the Roos with only one player on the bench.
Despite the disruptions, the Roos led by two points at half-time, but the Pigeons then booted four goals to one to push the lead to 19 points at the final change.
Kaelan Bradtke swung the match with three majors in two minutes and with 10 minutes left the Roos had pegged the deficit to two points.
The closing stages were frenetic with the home team's Charlie Nastasi charging towards goal with a couple of options, but schoolboy Caleb Mitchell smothered the kick as the Roos bombed a chance.
But Nastasi made amends by running down an unsuspecting Willie Wheeler, but the Roos couldn't land the killer blow, although Lane's 55m effort just missed the mark.
With three minutes left, Nastasi snapped what appeared to be the match-defining goal, but it was brought back for an earlier free kick.
Jy Lane added a point to cut the deficit to one point, but then Einsporn nabbed Darcy Melksham 45m from goal and sealed the win with 42 seconds left.
"It was another ugly win for us, which is a theme at the moment," Whiley offered of yet another absorbing crackerjack clash.
Roos' coach Peter German spoke passionately to his players after the thriller.
"He said he was proud of where we've come from to where we are now," captain Joe Hansen told Radio 2AY.
Hansen also spent time off after half-time with a right ankle problem, but a couple of charges with the ball in the final term were inspirational.
For the second week, Williams was the difference.
He kicked six of the 10 goals, just a week after booting five of the eight against Wodonga.
Einsporn continues to impress, Harry Wheeler was exceptionally busy, while Mitchell plays with a composure beyond his 17 years.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Bradtke (five goals) and Jarred Lane (three) were superb, Bill Hansen terrific, while Cameron Barrett showed enough in his first game to suggest he will make his mark.
To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News