To the winner will go the spoils when Calivil United hosts Newbridge this Saturday, with the Demons 13-point win over Inglewood on the weekend bringing them to within touching distance of a finals appearance.
The 10.16 (73) to 9.9 (63) victory sees Calivil United climb to sixth on the ladder and join the fifth placed Maroons ahead of their must-win match on Saturday.
While victory for either team would give them a significant advantage heading into the last round, the Demons must win in order to be any chance to usurp Newbridge, with the Maroons facing lowly Mitiamo in the final round of the home-and-away season, while Calivil United will play premiership contender Bridgewater.
In a game that ebbed and flowed all afternoon, it was the Demons who came out on top, with Ben Baker kicking four goals for the winners.
Not to be outdone, Will Allen also booted four majors for Inglewood as the Blues desperately tried to keep their finals hopes alive.
Sam Maher, who will take over the reins from Anthony Dennis as coach of Calivil United next season, was best on ground for the Demons, with Cody Thompson, Lewis Fisher and Sam Green also among their better players.
Callum March, Fergus Payne, Luke Matheson and Lachlan Ford were among the better players for Inglewood, whose hopes of playing finals are now all but over, with the Blues needing to beat Pyramid Hill and reigning premiers Marong in the final two rounds to leapfrog over Newbridge and Calivil United.
While Newbridge’s season will go on the line this Saturday, they were found wanting on the weekend after suffering a 115-point loss to Pyramid Hill.
The Bulldogs dominated from the outset, following up a five goal to two first quarter with seven unanswered goals in the second to open up an unassailable 64-point lead by half-time.
It didn’t get much better for the Maroons as Pyramid Hill continued their onslaught in the second half, running away with the game 23.12 (150) to 5.5 (35), with Bailey George, Ben Knight and Steven Gunther among the better players for the Bulldogs.
The final two matches went as expected, with Marong and Bears Lagoon-Serpentine both registering comfortable wins over Maiden Gully-YCW and Mitiamo.
The Panthers proved too good for MGYCW, who managed just two scoring shots and one goal for the entire day, while the reigning premiers racked up 50 shots on goal in the 28.22 (190) to 1.1 (7) victory.
The reigning premiers would end the day with 13 individual goal kickers, including Kain Robins (six goals) and Ryley Taylor (five goals), with Declan Phyland the lone Eagle to trouble the scorers.
Mitiamo could also muster only two scoring shots in their 184 point loss to Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, although both of the Superoos shots were at least accurate in their 30.16 (196) to 2.0 (12) result.
Justin Laird posed a dominant figure up forward, kicking nine goals for the Bears, while James Rippingale continued his good form since his return, kicking seven goals in a dominant two man display.
Also among Bears Lagoon-Serpentine’s better was Doolan Nihill, Nash Kemp, Josh Taig and Nathan Twigg, while Luke Lougoon, Zach Morrison and Daniel Walters were the better players for Mitiamo.
