SUNBURY has pulled off a miracle to scrape into the Ballarat Football League finals, claiming the last spot in the top six with a 97-point win over Lake Wendouree on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Heading into the final round of the year sitting two spots out of finals and with the worst percentage of the three sides competing for sixth position, the Lions smashed fifth-placed Lake Wendouree in a scintillating display.
The final scoreboard read Sunbury 22.17 (149) to the Lakers 8.4 (52).
The result capped off a remarkable day of BFL action, in which East Point was left heartbroken after missing out on the finals only by percentage.
The Kangaroos pulled off an upset to topple fourth-placed Darley by just five points, in a result that many would have thought was enough to steer them into finals.
In see-sawing match in which the Devils led for the majority of the day, it was the more desperate Roos that won 17.10 (112) to 16.11 (107).
East Point went into the round almost four percentage points ahead of Sunbury, only to be leapfrogged because of the Lions' barnstorming win, falling agonisingly short.
The other side competing for sixth spot, Bacchus Marsh, bombed out after losing to North Ballarat City by 53 points.
North City never looked trouble against the Cobras, who needed to win to qualify for finals, winning 16.11 (107) to 8.6 (54).
In the two somewhat meaningless games for the round, Redan came from six goals down to beat Melton by 21 points and Ballarat smashed Sebastopol to the tune of 125 points.
FINAL LADDER
NORTH BALLARAT CITY 68 premiership points, 221.98 per cent
REDAN 60, 164.95
BALLARAT 56, 140.77
DARLEY 46, 113.30
LAKE WENDOUREE 40, 106.41
SUNBURY 40, 105.08
East Point 40, 101.41
Bacchus Marsh 36, 105.90
Melton 30, 80.55
Melton South 16, 71.67
Sebastopol 8, 29.04
WEEK ONE FINALS DRAW
Saturday, August 30, Qualifying Final (1 v 2)
Eastern Oval, Ballarat
Football - North Ballarat City v Redan
Netball - Sunbury v Redan
Sunday, August 31, First Elimination Final (3 v 6)
Eastern Oval, Ballarat.
Football - Ballarat v Sunbury
Netball - Melton v North Ballarat City
Sunday, August 31, Second Elimination Final (4 x 5)
Darley Park, Darley.
Football - Darley v Lake Wendouree
Netball - East Point v Lake Wendouree.