Premiers skip clear on top after holding off Magpies,,,,

A four-goal final quarter helped reigning premiers North Albany hold off a gallant Denmark-Walpole by 13 points at Collingwood Park on Sunday afternoon to leave the Kangas in the box seat to claim the minor premiership after moving a game clear on top of the ladder.

In one of the most entertaining contests of the 2016 Great Southern Football League season, the momentum changed hands several times as the two sides went into three-quarter time with the scores level in blustery conditions.

Despite the breeze slightly favouring the Kangas’ attacking end in the final term, it was the visitors who struck the first blow, with Jake Stewart jailing a set shot as they regained the lead for the first time since the early stages of the second stanza. Youngster Jake Becroft gave the Kangas an almost direct reply, however, and the margin was out to seven points when full forward Daniel Parker booted his fourth major of the day.

Captain Graham Ross, who was used in both defence and attack, appeared to have iced the game when he nailed a long bomb from outside 50m as the Kangas pushed the margin to 17 points.

There was a pulse for the Magpies, though, when a scramble in the goal square led to Stewart kicking his second of the quarter out of mid-air. But the home side would have the final say as emerging midfielder Addison Dew snapped his side’s fourth goal to ensure the victory, 12.11 (83) to 10.10 (70).

Ross was superb for the defending premiers, patrolling half-back and kicking two important goals, while Parker (four goals), midfielder Matt Smith and defenders Alec Haskins, Nick Barrow and Stef Ericson were also important.

Kangas coach Craig Dew said it was a vital win given his side were now four points plus percentage clear in the top spot.

“It’s a fantastic result — we spoke about (ladder position) today and that has given us a nice little gap,” he said.

“But it certainly doesn’t get any easier with Railways next week.”

The Kangas kicked three of the last four goals in the opening term to trail by only three points kicking against the wind, which proved decisive in the end, Dew said.

“We came in really happy at quarter-time, we could have been five goals to none,” he said.

“We got opened up a bit early on, but after that the backs really tightened up and they were terrific.

“Early on we were belting them in, inside 50s and clearances, and it has been our Achilles heel all season — we just turn the ball over too much, but in the second half we used it a bit better.”

Dew praised the performance of Barrow, utility Will McSweeney and Becroft.

The Magpies started strongly, kicking the first three goals of the encounter, with star trio Kaden King-Davies, Tyler Stone and Shayne Zanetti all involved.

But ill-discipline proved costly as they gave a 50m penalty away late in the first that cost a goal, and another in the third to go with kicking 2.6 in a wasteful third term.

Stone kicked three goals in a powerful midfield display, King-Davies was outstanding in the clinches, while Zanetti took a stack of contested marks and veteran Simon Barker also worked hard.

Magpies coach Matt Candy said their errors led to the Kangas getting on top. “We gave them opportunities,” he said.

“We put a lot of pressure on them, and when we needed to capitalise, skill errors just let them back into the game.”

“It’s disappointing and makes our job harder coming into finals.”