REDAN has locked in second spot and a guaranteed double chance in the Ballarat Football League finals with a scintillating 56-point annihilation of Ballarat at City Oval on Saturday.
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In their best performance of the year, the Lions led for the entire match to record an 18.11 (119) to 9.9 (63) victory.
Supreme ball movement and clinical finishing in front of goals proved the difference between the two sides, with Redan far too good across the ground.
The maroon and gold jump one game clear of the Swans on the ladder with one round remaining, also establishing an insurmountable buffer of 41 percentage points.
Should Redan not suffer a heavy defeat at the hands of ninth-placed Melton next week, they will finish in the number two spot for the second year in a row, setting up another qualifying final with North Ballarat City.
Ballarat hosts Sebastopol to round out the year.
MEANWHILE, Lake Wendouree appears to have secured a finals berth with a 45-point win over East Point.
After a slow first half in which the Lakers trailed by 11 points at half time, they put the foot down in the second half with 12 goals to East Point's three.
In the end, Lake Wendouree went on to win 16.10 (106) to 8.13 (61).
The win puts the Lakers one game clear of Sunbury, East Point and Bacchus Marsh, while they also have a superior percentage.
They will play finals unless they lose to Sunbury next week, in addition to East Point upsetting Darley or Bacchus Marsh beating North Ballarat City by comfortable margins.
It will be their first finals appearance since 2011.
Conversely, the Kangaroos will most likely need to heavily defeat Darley next week if it is any chance of advancing beyond the home and away season.
BACCHUS Marsh also kept its finals hopes alive with a 51-point win over Melton.
Cobras coach Cam Richardson booted four goals in yet another best on ground display, while Ben Peters also contributed four.
Bacchus Marsh currently sits in sixth position but need North Ballarat City to beat Sunbury on Sunday to remain there.
It still has its back against the wall in the finals race however, coming up against flag favourites North City next week.
The Bloods are now guaranteed to finish in ninth spot, regardless of the result against Redan next week.
AND in the other game for the day, Darley rained on Melton South coach Mathew Sutton's last game, winning by 65 points.
In a stunning display, the Devils kicked nine goals in the last quarter, while holding the Panthers to just one solitary behind.
Despite the result, Sutton still bowed out with his head held high, kicking seven goals in his farewell match.
Rhys Ellis also kicked seven majors for Darley.
The Devils are now guaranteed to finish fourth on the ladder.
NORTH Ballarat City hosts Sunbury at Eureka Stadium on Sunday.
CURRENT LADDER (with North City and Sunbury still to play):
NORTH BALLARAT CITY 60 premiership points, 219.60 percntage points
REDAN 56, 170.95
BALLARAT 52, 129.15
DARLEY 46, 114.95
LAKE WENDOUREE 40, 116.40
BACCHUS MARSH 36, 111.30
Sunbury 36, 104.63
East Point 36, 100.97
Melton 30, 80.21
Melton South 12, 71.67
Sebastopol 8, 29.81