By AKSHAY KAPADIA
TAYLORS Lakes hosted Westmeadows with the Tigers third on the ladder, one game behind Tullamarine at second.
The Lions were sixth, though only one game from Oak Park at fourth, and needed to win this game and have results go their way to stay in finals contention.
A win here for Westmeadows would secure a finals berth for the Tigers.
The wind was strong and blustery and it showed from the first minutes of the game. Taylors Lakes was struggling in the first quarter as they kicked into the wind.
Westmeadows got off to a good start.
The Tigers made good use of the breeze to help them kick from outside the 50-metre arc.
This proved to be useful, as they were able to bypass the forward 50 without having to find a shorter option. Through this, they were able to kick four goals to two in the quarter and stay on top.
Westmeadows then showed Taylors Lakes how to kick into the wind in the second quarter.
Unlike the Lions’ long and high kicks, Westmeadows kicked the ball straighter and flatter to leading team mates in the forward 50.
With the Tigers now going into the wind there were less scoring opportunities, but it didn’t stop them pushing their lead from 16 points to 25 for the quarter.
Taylors Lakes needed to come back strongly in the second half – these last few games being do-or-die.
But it didn’t go right for the Lions in the second half.
Again with the breeze, Westmeadows kicked seven straight goals in the third quarter while Taylors Lakes could only manage to two.
This put the game beyond doubt at a nine-goal margin.
Surprisingly, Taylors Lakes won the last quarter and they looked to have slightly improved.
But it was all too little too late. The Tigers already had this game dusted, eventually winning by 43 points.
Cody Wight, Andrew Vavra and Jordan foster all impressed kicking three goals each.
The result knocked Taylors Lakes out of finals contention, now sitting two games below Hillside and Oak Park, who both still have byes to come in the final two rounds.
This weekend the Lions host Craigieburn followed by a trip to Oak Park in the final round.
The win leaves Westmeadows in third place.
A win over Tullamarine in this weekend’s EDFL Match of the Day will see the Tigers jump into second place courtesy of a superior percentage over the Demons.
Then it’s a trip to Craigieburn in the final round.
These last two games will be a good test for Westmeadows against sides they’ll likely have to face again in the finals in order to get to Windy Hill on September 4.
TAYLORS LAKES | 9.10-64
Goal Kickers: C. Monaco 2, M. Xuereb 2, A. Gallina, N. McIntosh, D. Guicas, N. Kennedy, T. Brown
Best Players: B. Norris, A. Longo, S. Tieppo, C. Ragusa, M. Morelli
WESTMEADOWS | 17.5-107
Goal Kickers: A. Vavra 3, J. Foster 3, C. Wight 3, M. Peters, A. Turner, J. Fenton, B. Heathcote, L. Wilson, C. Campbell, F. Keenan, T. Abdallah
Best Players: A. Vavra, T. Abdallah, M. O''Neill, C. Campbell, B. Allouch, C. Wight
