Close attention: Keilor's Daniel Cooper (above) wears a spoiling attempt from Maribyrnong Park's Simon Cave while (right) Maribyrnong Park's James Philpot marks. Pictures: Darren Howe
MARIBYRNONG Park landed a devastating blow in the Essendon District Football League finals race by kicking away from Keilor to win by 12 points in premier division at the weekend.
The final two goals of the game were enough for the Lions to hold on to victory after overturning a scoreboard in Keilor's control for much of the game, 15.19 (109) to 15.7 (97).
Click on the image below for our gallery of the big game.
Maribyrnong Park (8-7) maintained a game advantage in fourth from Oak Park (7-8) as well as a 12-point percentage gap.
The teams square off in the final round of the home and away season.
Keilor (6-9) missed the chance to stay part of the three-team race, now two games and two percentage points off fourth place with just three games remaining in the home and away season.
Inaccuracy plagued Maribyrnong Park even though the balance of play was even in the opening exchanges.
Keilor got the fast start though, to lead 6.1 to 3.8 at quarter-time.
The Lions grabbed the lead briefly at the end of the third quarter but Keilor rallied to lead by nine at the final change.
But six final-quarter goals from Maribyrnong Park to Keilor's three shifted the momentum for a final time to seal a valuable win.
■ Craigieburn was officially relegated to division 1 with its 76-point loss to Aberfeldie at Clifton Park.
The winless Eagles fell four wins behind Avondale Heights with three rounds remaining after the Heights held on to a five-point win against Pascoe Vale.
Craigieburn earned promotion after winning Bgrade in 2005 by beating West Coburg in the grand final.
The Eagles play Greenvale and Strathmore in the next two games before finishing their seven-season stint in AGrade/Premier with Avondale Heights.
■ Essendon Doutta Stars challenged Strathmore early but a 10-goal second quarter from the reigning premier swung the margin permanently on the way to a 36-point win.
The Mores notched up a 15th straight win and are now just three games away from a perfect home and away season after the 19.12 (126) to 13.12 (90) win.
The Stars had the better of the first term at Lebanon Reserve but kicked an inaccurate 3.8 to lead by 18 at quarter-time.
But 10 second-quarter goals to one put Strathmore up by 39 at half-time.
Essendon Doutta Stars' five-win, 10-loss record is good enough for eighth on the table while Strathmore maintained its one-game advantage from Greenvale (14-1) at the top.