Lakes Entrance thirds have kept their hopes of securing the vital double chance alive with an easy 51-point victory over Stratford in round 14 of the East Gippsland Football Netball League at Boyd Reserve last Saturday.
Both sides struggled to convert in the first term and went goalless before the Seagulls found their mojo in the final three quarters booting nine goals to two, recording an effortless win.
Exciting young tall talent, Matt Pearce, was unstoppable up forward, slotting five goals, ably assisted by Max Stevens who finished with two majors.
Best players for Lakes Entrance were Caleb O’Donnell, Stevens, James Daly, Pearce, Thomas Graham and Harper Davis.
Currently placed third on the ladder, two points behind Orbost Snowy Rovers, the young Seagulls will get a chance to push for a top two finish when the two sides clash next week at the Lakeside Oval.
With numbers down due to unavailability, the reserves took to the field for a crucial game, behind the eight ball before the ball was even bounced.
Needing to win to keep in contention for a finals berth, the Seagulls were put to the sword early by the rampant Swans, led by decorated senior player Rod O’Keefe, who bounced back from being omitted from the senior team by booting 10 goals in a best on ground performance.
Inside 50s were few and far between for the hapless Seagulls who failed to score, succumbing by 177 points to the third-ranked Swans.
Lakes Entrances tried hard but was left lamenting, Angus Stevens, Ryan Hooper, Paul Hopkins, Andrew Rimmer, Wil Capes and Byron Daley all named in the best, but positional winners were hard to find.
Hooper, club legend Andrew Stevens and Hopkins all played their first match for the season.
The loss sees the Seagulls drop to sixth on the ladder, a game and considerable percentage, behind fourth-rated Lindenow, with plenty of work to do if they are to push for a finals spot in the final three rounds of the season.
