“The best win in 40 years.” That was the catchcry in the clubrooms
of victorious Darley on Sunday after the Devils pulled off an
unbelievable comeback against East Point to keep its Ballarat Football
League premiership hopes alive.
MATCH REPORT: Darley’s amazing win over East Point
RELATED: Redan ends North Ballarat’s rein
A chance for redemption against minor
premier North Ballarat City awaits in the first semi-final this weekend.
The Devils suffered what at the time looked like a season-defining loss
against North City in early June, kicked itself out of a winning
position, 3.18 to North City’s 7.10. North City comes into this
weekend’s match with the prospect of a straight-sets finals exit hanging
over its heads.
And the never-say-die Devils have the power of momentum
behind them.
Darley coach Rod MacPherson said the win against East
Point showed enormous character within his group.
“I haven’t been around
the club that long but Peter Leonard, who is a former president, said
it was the best win he’s seen in 40 years,” MacPherson said.
“We made a
pact to each other before the game and we knew this group had only
played one bad quarter for the year. This group has got a lot of passion
in the way it plays. We made a pact that the season was not going to
end today and, to the boys’ credit, they fought right to the end.”
Sunday’s first semi-final between North Ballarat City and Darley at
Eastern Oval in Ballarat starts at 2.15pm.
