Pearcedale suffered just its third loss of the MPFNL season against Crib Point on Saturday; who took control in the second quarter and never looked back to win by 29 points.
Crib Point captain Miles Shepherd led from the front in the upset victory, cementing fourth spot as the Magpies stake their claim as a serious threat.
Inaccurate kicking of 3.7 meant Pearcedale only had a one-point lead after kicking with the wind in the first term.
Crib Point then produced a Magpie masterclass with 10 goals across the next two quarters to make the Dales pay.
The visitors set themselves up for victory with a 30-point lead at half time.
Crib Point then held its nerve and finished off well, making it 10 wins for the season.
The hunger to play finals is burning at Crib Point after the club missed out last season by percentage, with Pearcedale claiming fifth spot.
Shepherd was brilliant in the victory with 25 disposals, 12 marks and two goals, while Lee Sheehan (25 disposals, one goal) also impressed.
For the Dales, Brett Eddy continued his impressive season with five majors, while Huw Jones (13 disposals, 63 hitouts) dominated the ruck battle.
Tom Schneider did everything he could for Pearcedale with 31 disposals, one goal and seven marks, but it wasn’t enough.
Devon Meadows was very fortunate after surviving a huge scare and a fourth-quarter charge from Tyabb, which has won just two games for the season.
The Panthers prevailed by two points in a low-scoring thriller, saving another embarrassing loss.
At half time, the Yabbies held the lead by 10 points as Devon Meadows fired wayward shots at goal, with 1.7 to the major break.
The Panthers bounced back with a big third term which ultimately won them the game.
Devon Meadows scored 7.8 (50) with the wind, but against it in quarters two and four, the Panthers scored just 0.3 – including a scoreless final term.
The Yabbies trailed by 28 points at three-quarter time but scored four goals to nothing and had the ball locked inside 50 when the siren sounded.
Devon Meadows shared the scoring duties with seven individual goalkickers, while Matthew Clark (three goals) and James Freeman (two goals) led the way for Tyabb.
Joel Hillis (31 disposals, seven marks) and Nick Battle (33 disposals, one goal) were at their reliable best, while Corey Buchan (32 disposals) and Andrew Browne (18 disposals, 42 hitouts) battled hard for the Yabbies.
Frankston Bombers are short odds to win the premiership after claiming a 15th consecutive victory, this time against Bonbeach by 62 points.
Skipper Khan Haretuku kicked five goals in the Bomber victory while ex-Bulldog Jarrad Grant also booted three majors.
Frankston has shown its way too good for the Division 2 competition this year and something would have to go seriously wrong to not hold the cup aloft.
Since a one-point loss to Crib Point in round seven, Somerville has now won seven of its past eight matches; currently sitting sixth by percentage.
The Eagles are the in-form team of the competition after knocking off Chelsea by 23 points.
Led by captain Mason De Wit, Somerville kicked four goals to none in the final term to overturn a three-point deficit and win the crucial clash.
De Wit had 24 disposals and four goals, while Mitch Mantell (23 disposals, 11 marks) was clunking everything once again – Jack Wallace (16 disposals, one goal) was good for the Seagulls.
Seven Seaford players kicked two goals in a big 104-point victory over Karingal last weekend.
The Tigers shared the ball around and looked a class above to win easily – Lachlan Osborne was Seaford’s best, while Baylin McLeod was good for the Bulls.
Rye star Ed Greene was the difference as the Demons overcame a challenge against Hastings to win by 18 points as Taj Campbell-Farrell (33 disposals, one goal, nine tackles) served him on a silver platter.
Noah Kyriacou (20 disposals, one goal) and Kade Foster (14 disposals, two goals) were the best players for the Blues.
MPFNL DIVISION 2
Results – R15: Crib Point 16.10 (106) def Pearcedale 11.11 (77), Devon Meadows 7.11 (53) def Tyabb 7.9 (51), Frankston Bombers 14.10 (94) def Bonbeach 4.8 (32), Rye 10.11 (71) def Hastings 7.11 (53), Seaford 16.10 (121) def Karingal 2.5 (17), Somerville 9.11 (65) def Chelsea 6.6 (42).
Ladder: Frankston Bombers 60, Pearcedale 48, Chelsea, Crib Point 40, Devon Meadows, Somerville 36, Bonbeach 28, Seaford, Rye 24, Hastings 12, Tyabb 8, Karingal 4.
Fixture – R16: Chelsea (3) v Karingal (12), Devon Meadows (5) v Seaford (8), Frankston Bombers (1) v Crib Point (4), Hastings (10) v Bonbeach (7), Rye (9) v Pearcedale (2), Tyabb (11) v Somerville (6).
