Railways celebrate Sproxton and Stubber milestones on winning note after withstanding strong Royals challenge

Railways have celebrated the major milestones of defensive pair Haydn Sproxton and Bodhi Stubber with a gritty 29-point win in a bruising clash with arch rivals Royals at Tigerland on Saturday. The Tigers had to withstand a strong challenge from the Lions but kicked four goals in the final term to notch their sixth win of the season and remain on top of the Great Southern Football League ladder. The match had plenty of drama, with serious injuries and tempers boiling over on more than one occasion. Royals’ Brent Johnson was red-carded and reported for striking late in the first term after a melee in the middle of the ground, and Railways’ Logan Stubber received a yellow card for rough conduct in the same incident. The Lions had already lost prime midfielder Zak Mola to a serious ankle injury, and despite Coel Hunter (calf) and Nick Ashford (hamstring) being troubled by injury later in the game, the visitors failed to give in. The Tigers got the fast start and led by 20 points at quarter-time but the Lions responded strongly with six majors in the second — two from Jayson Ford and two from returning big man Stephen Beal — as they trimmed the margin to 11 points. Matt Palfrey gave the Tigers more breathing room early in the third but the Lions took the momentum into the final term after goals to Brandon Elliott and Hunter. The reigning premiers dug deep, though, to snatch back control as they got on top in the middle, and goals by Kane Shephard, Jake Hunter, Palfrey and finally Jayden Scott sealed their sixth win of the season. Scott was terrific in the middle and up forward, booting three goals in a best-on-field display, while Joel Want provided a real spark across half-forward. Shephard (three goals), Palfrey (two) and midfielders Mohit Jaggi and Ryan Davies were all important in the 12.15 (87) to 9.4 (58) win. Sproxton played his 200th league match, while Bodhi Stubber reached his 150th, and they were chaired from the ground. Tigers coach Mark Bayliss said his side responded to the physical challenge the Lions threw at them. “Today was a good test for a few of the boys for what was at stake,” Bayliss said. “It would have been a pretty sombre day if we had of lost. “(Royals) were really physical today. “You don’t normally have four, five swings in a game of footy but the boys got through it and got a good win in the end.” The Tigers will be without Jack Steel for several weeks after he broke his collarbone early in the game in a crunching bump. Ashford and Hunter battled on despite their injuries and their side took it right up to the Tigers for the best part of three quarters. Beal booted three goals and had a really strong afternoon while fellow tall Hamish McMorran took many intercept marks. Elliott was lively around goals, David Parker led from the front at the stoppages, and youngster Lorcan McNamara played arguably his best senior game. Lions coach Andrew Ruck was pleased with his side’s efforts despite the loss. “There was lots of feeling but in the end I was really proud,” Ruck said. “We lost by four or five goals and a bit of ill-discipline — we coughed up three or four goals to free kicks but I think we found a couple of guys today. “Lots of our lesser lights really stood up and showed they could play against a good side . . . I was as happy as you can be after a loss.” The Lions challenge a two-game ban offered to Brent Johnson at the tribunal but it the suspension was upheld.