A Shaun Finlayson goal with 30 seconds to go steadied Lake Wendouree en route to its first win of the season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Lakers held off a fast-finishing North Ballarat, scraping home by seven points in an entertaining game.
North opened up the first term in style, kicking the first three goals of the game.
Josh Chatfield created early problems for the Lake Wendouree defence with two early goals, one being from a sensational tackle that was rewarded with a set shot converted from 40 metres.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Lakers hit back hard in the latter stages of the first quarter with goals to Callum McKay and GWV Rebel Flynn Loader, leaving the Lakers within seven points at the first change.
Roosters coach Brendan McCartney was reasonably happy with his troops at quarter time but demanded closer checking defensively by closing down spaces.
The second term saw a continuation of the latter stages of the first quarter, with Lake Wendouree piling on five goals to two to take a 20-point lead into the main break.
Callum McKay and Loader turned it on for the Lakers with three goals apiece and young star Josh Rentsch using his size and athleticism in the ruck to give the likes of Nick Rippon and Jake Lohmann first use of the footy.
North Ballarat's Josh Chatfield and Dan Jones had two goals apiece to keep the Roosters in the game.
The third term started well for the Lakers, with Nick Rippon kicking an opportunistic goal to take the Lakers out to a 26-point lead early in the term.
The third quarter was starved a bit of scoring from both sides, as North tried to claw its way back into the contest. Goals to Chatfield and Spiers to get within 21 points at the last change.
The last quarter no-one would see coming. It seemed every time North scored to get closer, Lake Wendouree would answer.
Early on, it seemed the Lakers had all the answers despite the Roosters throwing everything at them until the 22-minute mark.
North found another gear when it seemed they were out of gas, got it back to within a point with a couple of minutes to go.
Then, with 30 seconds to go, big Shaun Finlayson marked 30 metres out and slotted his second for the game just before the siren sounded to give Lake Wendouree a thrilling seven-point win.
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.