By AKSHAY KAPADIA
IT WAS do-or-die for Hillside.
The Sharks sat fourth on the ladder but were level on points with Oak Park at fifth, with four percentage points the difference.
Oak Park had the bye and Hillside has their second bye in Round 18.
Each team only had one more game to play, so Hillside desperately needed to win this game, otherwise they could have been kissing Season 2016 goodbye.
As for Glenroy, they’re no longer in finals contention but were in it to spoil Hillside’s finals plans.
It was the first perfect day for footy in the EDFL for some time. The sun was out, there was little to no breeze and no sign of rain on the forecast.
The early part of the first quarter was very tight. Both teams were able to lock the ball into their forwards 50s well and kick goals doing so.
Hillside kicked the first two of the game before Glenroy replied with two of their own to give them a one-point lead.
But from there and for the rest of the quarter, Glenroy were unable to kick straight.
The Sharks capitalized on this, kicking another four goals to establish a 20-point lead at quarter time.
Glenroy got the first goal of the second quarter thanks to a free kicking side the goal square and the goals didn’t stop there for Glenroy, kicking four goals straight towards the end of the quarter.
Down by two points, Hillside soon replied just before the half time siren with Andrew Papazoglou getting onto one from the centre clearance.
This gave Hillside a four-point lead at the main break.
Hillside came out strong in the second half, kicking the first three of the quarter to re-establish that 20-point lead.
Glenroy was then gifted a goal through a free kick and a 50-metre penalty which gave them a shot from point blank range.
But Hillside went on to kick the last two of the quarter giving the Sharks an extensive lead heading into the last quarter.
Both teams lost their accuracy in the last quarter – rushed kicking being the main result for this.
But in the end this did not stop Hillside running away with a 35-point win.
Papazooglou impressed in front of goal for Hillside kicking five goals while Ash Flavel was the only multiple goal-scorer for Glenroy, kicking four.
This win keeps the Hillside’s finals hopes alive with the last round of the home-and-away season coming up.
With the bye this weekend the Sharks will be looking nervously at the Oak Park v Taylors Lakes game with great interest.
Oak Park will need to defeat the Lions by about 75 points if they are to knock Hillside out of fourth spot.
The final game for Glenroy is against Hadfield at Martin Reserve, a game between seventh and eighth on the ladder.
GLENROY | 10.12-72
Goal Kickers: A. Flavel 4, E. Hope, Z. Polizzi, M. Walker, S. Golding, J. Buckley, M. El-Achkar
Best Players: A. Delbusso, M. Willox, S. Gilliland, J. Buckley, J. Ksiazek, A. Flavel
HILLSIDE | 16.11-107
Goal Kickers: A. Papazoglou 5, B. Coletta 3, S. Nason 2, R. Weightman, J. Sinclair, T. Drake, T. Stone, J. Micallef, J. Volpato
Best Players: T. Drake, J. Micallef, J. Volpato, S. Nason, A. Papazoglou, S. Ball
