It was grand final heartache for Melton Centrals in the Victorian Women’s Football League north-west division on Sunday.
Having gone through the regular season undefeated, Centrals found the going tougher in finals, twice falling short against Manor Lakes.
The first time was a one-point loss in a semi-final, while the grand final proved to be another close one, Manor Lakes winning 6.3 (39)-4.9 (33).
Lakes got the early break, leading by seven points at the first pause and maintaining that at half-time.
The margin was extended to 17 points at the last break when Centrals needed to almost double its score while keeping Manor Lakes scoreless to achieve an unlikely win.
In fact, Centrals did all the attacking in the last quarter but couldn’t quite find the middle of the goals.
They managed to find one goal but were otherwise wayward, kicking 1.5 in the final quarter to fall six points short.
The division’s leading goalkicker, Jaime Nankiville, kicked two goals for Centrals, while Alice Masters and Tara Crisp kicked one major each.
Alanna Porter, Tara McKean and Kareena Jacobsen-Logan were the best in the loss.
It’s the second straight year that Centrals have lost the grand final. Last year it was to Sunbury Lions.
