Saturday’s Murray Football League result has spun Nathalia and Numurkah on two opposing routes for the remainder of the season.
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Separated by two wins between fifth and sixth on the ladder, the colour-moniker clash was your typical cliche eight-point game.
A win for Nathalia nearly guaranteed a finals berth, while a win for Numurkah meant the Blues would establish a handy buffer inside finals calculations.
With such high stakes it’s not a surprise the contest was a dogfight.
The Blues drew first blood in the first term, but Nathalia quickly found its footing at Numurkah Recreation Reserve to hold an 11-point advantage at the first break.
However, the tables turned in the second with Numurkah overcoming its quarter-time deficit thanks to a flawless defensive effort that held the Purples goalless.
Nathalia co-coach Glenn Boyd remained upbeat about his side, however, noting the Blues capitalised on the Purples’ occasional skill errors, an issue he trusted would resolve.
“We were doing a lot of things right, it was just a few turnovers in dangerous positions that also impacted our ability to transition,” Boyd said.
“We put ourselves under unnecessary pressure, so we looked to clean that up and get deeper forward entries inside 50 and have more opportunity to kick some goals.”
Both sides would exchange scoreboard blows throughout the third term, but a combined scoreline of 5.9 illustrated the gritty, high-pressure match was impacting goal kicking accuracy.
However, two late majors to the boys in purple suddenly saw the lead change hands and create an equal game-high advantage of 11 points at three-quarter time.
Numurkah wouldn’t say die though.
In a fourth-quarter Blues blitz, Numurkah responded to the challenge again and eradicated the Purples’ margin and, with 20 minutes played in the last term, it was the Blues holding the lead by two points.
With the game entering red time, there was no greater period for Nathalia to enter a purple patch of form.
Enter Oliver Sheehan.
As a goal put the Purples ahead, the Blues were ready to challenge one last time, but Nathalia burst off in transition.
In a sprinting effort of pure gut-running, Sheehan charged from the back pocket as Nathalia’s transition clicked into gear.
An end-to-end run, Sheehan left his direct opponent in the dust to find himself open inside the Purples’ forward 50, hit up on the boundary line with the potential to put the result beyond doubt.
The youngster kicked truly, with the two knockout blows in a five-minute window sealing Numurkah’s fate as the Purples ran out 10-point victors, 9.10 (64) to 7.12 (54).
Liam Evans was Nathalia’s best up forward with four majors, while Bryce Mann was deemed best-on overall.
Following the determined four-quarter effort, Boyd has little doubt about what his side could produce in September.
“We’re looking to go deep,” Boyd said.
“Congupna are obviously ahead at the moment, but any other side we’re confident we can beat on our day.
“It’s really just a matter of putting it all together now and getting the players on the park and we’ll give it a crack.”
Travis Down and Trent Craven were defiant in defeat for the Blues, but the result now leaves a question mark on the claim to the final spot in September action.
While the Purples would need complete capitulation to relinquish their now three-game advantage inside the top six, Numurkah has been sent into a win-at-all-costs mode for the rest of the season.
Only percentage separates the Blues and Rumbalara from the league’s finalists, while Deniliquin is one game off the pace.
A strong finish to the season from the latter two sides could see Numurkah rue the missed opportunity to claim a home victory over the Purples in round 13, as games against top six sides Mulwala (round 14) and Moama (round 18) are still to come.
Around the grounds, Moama pulled off a stunning comeback to avoid a shock loss to Rumbalara.
Rumbalara led by as many as 25 points, but an eight-goal-to-two second half saw the second-placed Magpies breathe a sigh of relief at the final siren, winning by 13.
Ladder-leader Congupna continues to roll on undefeated after defeating Finley by 98 points, while Tongala dispatched Barooga by 148.
Cobram and Mulwala furthered their finals credentials, with the Tigers cruising past Echuca United by 49, while Mulwala pulled away late against Deniliquin to win by three goals.