An all-in melee at half-time, a yellow card and report, interchange drama and a spirited fight back from a rank underdog.
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It is exactly what you would expect from an elimination final between two old foes.
Sunbury eventually ran away to an easy 50-point win – 15.13 (103) to 7.11 (53) - over Darley in a Ballarat Football League elimination final at Darley on Saturday.
Although the game is safely in their keeping and a second-semi-final clash with Bacchus Marsh is locked in, the official margin is likely to be reduced after the Lions started the third quarter with one too many players on the ground.
BFL by-laws state that if a team has excess numbers on the ground, the incident will be referred to the league and if proven all points scored in the relevant quarter will be forfeited.
Sunbury’s Tim Hill was shown a yellow card and reported for striking in a melee at the start of the half-time – meaning the Lions should have had only 17 players on the ground.
Sunbury discovered it had 18 on the ground in the opening minute of the third term, in which it on to add 3.2.
Lions coach Rick Horwood said it had been a player’s mistake.
He said it was disappointing given they had focused in the half-time break on how to deal with being a man down.
With the 20-point penalty handing over their heads, Horwood highlighted at three quarter time the need to ensure they not only won, but did so by at least that margin.
In the end Sunbury was more than comfortable.
Led by Alik Magin, Sunbury indicated early it was ready to put on another clinic.
With the superstar booting two goals, Sunbury charged 42-point lead by the first change.
After that though Luther Baker clamped down on Magin. Although the Sunbury midfielder kicked two second half goals, he was largely shut out of the game.
With the Sunbury talisman quiet, Darley lifted its intensity at the ball and the man to grind the margin back to 36 points at the main break.
Darley then made the most having the extra man to booted three goals – largely thanks to their best afield Jake Ancrum – but the revival was short-lived.
David Kovacevic dominated in the ruck, while Joe Redfern stood tall down back.
Darley’s Jarrod Edwards, who ended his coaching reign at the club in the game, told his troops that he was “immensely proud” of their effort after a frustrating year that just did not go their way.
He said the character they had shown would hold them in great stead in the years to come.
Sunbury’s Rick Horwood was pleased with the Lions despite the drama of the third quarter.
Horwood said it was particularly satisfying to get a finals win after going straight out in elimination finals in the past two seasons.
He said the players had stood up and been counted after being physically challenged.
“They threw everything at us.”