In two rounds, the Cannons have resurrected their hopes of playing finals football this season and then have seen them disappear again.

To be fair, Friday night's loss to the Richmond Eagles at a bitterly cold Kevin Bartlett Reserve does not mean the Oakleigh side can't make the finals, but it does it make it pretty hard.

The three points would have been nice as the Cannons start a run of three consecutive home games, beginning this Friday night against Altona Magic.

The Cannons are in eighth spot with 26 points, two away from the Sunshine Georgies in fifth, with Hume City and Green Gully Cavaliers sandwiched in between.

With four rounds left, Green Gully and Hume are among the teams the Cannons will face.

Oakleigh's other games are against third-placed Altona and second-placed South Melbourne. Coach John Anastasiadis will be looking for a maximum haul from both encounters.

He would have hoped for a similar outcome on Friday night but the Eagles' midfield was too quick for an Oakleigh attack that looked to be devoid of ideas.

Jerry Karpeh did a good job of holding the ball while Oakleigh's smaller men tried to make space, but the Eagles' defenders were on top of their game.

The home side took the lead in the first half and had several chances to extend the margin.

The Cannons came back with a bright start to the second period, culminating in an equaliser to Ivan Franjic after the Cannons had forced a corner.

For a few minutes, it looked as if the Cannons might be able to break Richmond down. But it was the Eagles who rallied.

They always looked dangerous on the break, especially down the left side, and it was from there the Eagles' two goals came.

The game against Altona on Friday night starts at 8.30 at the Jack Edwards Reserve. John Lister