In claiming successive flags, the Michael Mott-coached Wombats were switched on from the start, with livewire small man Jack Groves bagging a goal in the first minute to set the mood for the rest of the game in the 42-point premiership triumph.
Groves kicked three of Lancaster’s four goals in the first half and another in the third term when his side bagged six unanswered goals to set up a matchwinning 48-point break by the last change.
Darcy Keck, Luke Rennie and Daniel Anderson, who snared successive goals, booted a total of four goals in a four-minute purple patch in the third term that put the game out of their rivals’ reach.
Like Groves’ quickfire opening goal of the match, Keck’s goal also came in the first minute of the second half and ignited Lancaster’s dominant third term.
Lancaster’s pace and skill level were superior to East’s and its attack boasted more scoring options, with multiple goal scorers in Groves, Anderson, Rennie and Keck.
Ruckman Jarom Owen-Horn was a tower of strength and prime mover all game for the Wombats and classy mover Rennie starred on the day through the midfield.
Anderson shrugged off a first-half tag to be a dominant player in the second half, capped by three goals.
Lancaster's defence stepped on the day, with Billy Preddy, Tom Clark and Noel Sewell in particular showing the way.
Groves, Keck, Jackson Barnett, Riley O’Neill and Sam Jackson also helped to engineer the premiership win but with support from all players.
Shepparton East were kept goalless from the five-minute mark of the second term to the three-minute mark of the last quarter when they snagged a couple of long goals on the back of a strong wind that sprung up and swept down the ground to the eastern end in the final stanza.
But it was all too late and Lancaster deserved its back-to-back premiership after overcoming enormous odds last year to pinch the flag.
The Lancaster coach said leading into Saturday’s showdown his side would need its pace and running game to get the better of their bigger rivals and that was exactly what Lancaster produced.
‘‘It was a great effort on the day and we fought it right out to the finish which was really pleasing,’’ Mott told the crowd after the game.
Mott, who was reappointed last week for next season, said winning the flag this year had come a little easier, with more players contesting spots in the side and not having to scrape numbers together each week as was the case last year.
‘‘Lancaster is a fantastic club and these are a fantastic group of boys who have worked really hard to achieve this,’’ he added.
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