OAKLEIGH District got a rocket after Saturday's game. Now it needs to shoot for the moon in the Southern Football League division 2 elimination semi-final this Sunday.
District suffered a bewildering last-quarter fade-out against Skye in the qualifying final, leading by 21 points at three-quarter time only to lose by 10 points.
Skye will get the chance to face minor premier East Malvern for the early berth in the grand final on Saturday.
District coach Stephen Wright said his side lost the match around the contests in the final term.
"I had to kick a bit of butt post game.
"Now we need to get our confidence back up for next match.
"It was a disappointing end. We were beaten by a side who played better than us in the last term. We were up by 21 points, then they got us at the end.
"We played three pretty good quarters and then one bad one and it cost us the game."
Wright said his side couldn't afford to let the opposition find momentum in the game as they did against Skye.
He was pleased with his defence led by Dan Kiellerup and Dylan Mounsey, and Elvis Almovski (three goals) was dangerous as always in the forward line.
Wright also said the hard bounce of Jack Barker Oval had surprised both sides after several weeks of wet weather football.
"It caught both sides out. We haven't seen the ball bounce that high for a few weeks now.
"But the good thing was everyone got through the game OK and we now look to this week."