Darley holds on by one point to end East Point's threepeat dream | Ballarat Football Netball League elimination final wrap

After taking the early in the opening quarter, the Devils were kept in check by their foes - never comfortable but defensively sound to enjoy the ascendancy.

Come the fourth quarter; all had hearts in mouths; East Point taking the lead for the first time with 20 minutes on the clock, before two Darley behinds and a hectic three-minute all-in defensive effort saw it progress to a semi-final against Ballarat.

The Roos weren't without their chances, kicking 1.8 in the final quarter to close a best-forgotten day in front of goal, where they kicked 5.17, hampered by the Devils' defensive pressure.

"We went pretty defensively-minded, and a lot of those points they kicked were from poor areas (of the ground)," Darley coach Dan Jordan told The Courier after the match.

"It came down to our ability to sort of scrap and try and get a win. That I was trying to re-iterate to the guys during the week it doesn't have to be pretty or sexy; there just has to be the ability to show some ticker and get the win.

"I'm happy for them in that sense. It wasn't a game you'd advertise our league on. But we got through, so that's a positive."

The biggest question was answered when the teams took to the field with Darley captain Brett Bewley failing to recover from his calf complaint and spending the match in the coaches box.

In a physical contest, it was a heavy crosswind that proved the biggest influence, sapping any fluidity from the contest.

Neither side was granted any time on the ball, with most goals coming from long forward 50 entries that fell to a player in space behind the contest.

No player from either side was able to kick multiple goals, as both back sixes held their nerve.

East Point's Dallas Martin impressed to limit joint leading goalkicker, Nick Rodda, to a lone major, while young Darley defender Mace Cousins was named among his side's best for his work on a goalless Jordan Johnston.

Despite the attractiveness of the game, Jordan believed it was what his side required.

"They need to learn (how to win like that), this group. They're really young and they need to learn how to stand up, dig their heels in and absorb pressure," he said.

"We've been working on that the past month where we've been challenged by some good sides. So, for these 18/19-year-old kids to stand there in a final and scrap and close the game down is really pleasing."

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