SUDDENLY Mulgrave is coming - after a season of struggle the Lions scored their second straight win, beating Doncaster East by 12 points to move off the bottom of the Eastern Football League division 2 ladder.
Lions coach Ryan James said he had set his side to win its next two games and secure its place in division 2 for next season.
"We had set ourselves for this month of football and we are two games out of the way now," he said. "Now we have another massive game against Waverley Blues. "Our boys are seeing reward for effort and it has made a major difference."
The Lions didn't have everything their own way. Their 38-point lead was cut to four points during the final term before they kicked away in the final minutes.
"The coach in me was worried," James said. "They had a chance to take the lead and missed. But I think the boys showed good character and fight when the game was there to be won."
James is looking forward to the final four weeks of the season. With Mooroolbark and Rowville in the last two rounds, the Lions will be hopeful of securing their place in the division before those two matches.
"Those last two are against two very good teams, but we won't worry about them until we get through this block of matches."
Lions midfielder Tim Knowles was again best player for the Lions with Sean Lester, Bjorn Reed, Adam Booth, Dean Siakoulis and Robbie Edwards. Booth kicked five goals.
In division 3 games, Glen Waverley Hawks won a thriller over arch-rival Heathmont by six points on Saturday. The Hawks took the win despite nine goals from Jets full-forward Darren Sheen, who kicked all of his side's goals.
■ Bayswater Oval and Tormore Reserve, Boronia will share the hosting of the EFL division 1 finals series.
The EFL board announced its grounds for the finals on Monday. The division 2 finals will be at Jubilee Park, Ringwood, while East Burwood and Vermont will host the division 3 finals. Mitcham and Tormore Reserve will host the division 4 finals.
The EFL announced ticket prices for the finals would remain the same as last year.
FINAL SCORES
Victorian Football League:
Bye
TAC Cup:
Development round
Southern Football League:
Division 1: Heatherton 15.12 (102) d Mordialloc 8.16(64); Highett 19.7 (121) d Clayton 9.12 (66); Chelsea Heights 9.11 (65) d Dingley 4.6 (30).
Division 2: Southern Dragons 10.13 (73) d South Yarra 11.6 (72); East Malvern 15.11 (101) d Springvale Districts 8.11 (59); Oakleigh District 20.9 (129) d Hampton 12.4 (76).
Division 3: Doveton Eagles 13.11 (89) d Caulfield 6.13(49); Mount Waverley 17.15 (117) d Hallam 6.12(48); Moorabbin 11.14 (80) d Endeavour Hills 3.7(25); Dandenong 13.7 (85) d Ashwood 11.15 (81); Sandown 22.23 (155) d Lyndale 4.6 (30).
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: East Burwood 22.14 (146) d Croydon 9.13(67); Scoresby 15.7 (97) d Lilydale 8.10 (58); Balwyn 28.23 (191) d South Croydon 12.6 (78); Blackburn 21.9 (135) d East Ringwood 15.11 (101); Noble Park 12.14 (86) d Knox 7.8 (50); Vermont 18.11(119) d Norwood 10.7 (67).
Division 2: Bayswater 24.17 (161) d Doncaster 10.6(66); Montrose 18.22 (130) d Donvale 9.5 (59); Mulgrave 14.10 (94) d Doncaster East 11.16 (82); Rowville 22.16 (148) d Waverley Blues 7.7 (49); Mooroolbark 15.12 (102) d Upper Ferntree Gully 11.5(71).
Division 3: North Ringwood 19.9 (123) d Templestowe 9.5 (59); Wantirna South 15.18 (108) d Boronia 10.6 (66); Ringwood 13.9 (87) d Warrandyte 11.8 (74); Mitcham 16.15 (111) d Chirnside Park 12.9 (81); Glen Waverley Hawks 10.10 (70) d Heathmont 9.10 (64); Coldstream 9.9 (63) d Whitehorse Pioneers 9.8 (62).
Division 4: South Belgrave 24.29 (173) d Surrey Park 4.3 (27); Eastern Lions 17.19 (121) d Canterbury 10.1272); Ferntree Gully 13.7 (85) d Silvan 10.5 (65); Nunawading 13.10 (88) d Park Orchards 11.16 (82).
For full results, click on Monash Latest Sport Results link at upper right.
THIS WEEK
Victorian Football League:
Frankston v Casey Scorpions, Frankston Oval 1.10pm.
TAC Cup:
Gippsland Power v Oakleigh Chargers, Morwell Football Ground 1pm.
Southern Football League:
Division 1: East Brighton v Heatherton, Hurlingham Reserve 2pm; Clayton v Chelsea Heights, Meade Reserve 2pm; Dingley v Cheltenham, Souter Oval 2.20pm.
Division 2: Oakleigh District v East Malvern, Princes Highway Reserve 2pm; Springvale Districts v Southern Dragons, Springvale Reserve 2pm.
Division 3: Lyndale v Hallam, Barry Powell Reserve 2pm; Endeavour Hills v Sandown, Barry Simon Reserve 2pm; Ashwood v Moorabbin, Essex Heights Reserve 2pm; Mount Waverley v Caulfield Mayfield Reserve 2pm; Doveton Eagles v Dandenong, Power Reserve 2pm.
Eastern Football League:
Division 1: South Croydon v Noble Park, Cheong Park 2.10pm; Knox v East Ringwood, Knox Gardens Reserve 2.10pm; Lilydale v Croydon, Lilydale Sports Oval 2.10pm; Norwood v Scoresby, Mullum Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 2: Donvale v Bayswater, Donvale Reserve 2.10pm; Mooroolbark v Rowville, Heights Reserve 2.10pm; Waverley Blues v Mulgrave, Mt Waverley Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster v Upper Ferntree Gully, Schramms Reserve 2.10pm; Doncaster East v Montrose, Zerbes Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 3: Coldstream v Mitcham, Coldstream Reserve 2.10pm; Ringwood v Wantirna South, Jubilee Park 2.10pm; Chirnside Park v Templestowe, Kimberley Reserve 2.10pm; North Ringwood v Boronia, Quambee Reserve 2.10pm; Warrandyte v Heathmont, Warrandyte Reserve 2.10pm; Whitehorse Pioneers v Glen Waverley Hawks, Whitehorse Reserve 2.10pm.
Division 4: The Basin v Canterbury, Batterham Reserve 2.10pm; South Belgrave v Ferntree Gully, Belgrave South Recreation Reserve 2.10pm; Park Orchards v Silvan, Domeney Reserve 2.10pm; Forest Hill v Nunawading, Forest Hill Reserve 2.10pm; Kilsyth v Eastern Lions, Pinks Reserve 2.10pm; Surrey Park, bye.
All games on Saturday unless otherwise stated.