Melton let slip a perfect opportunity to knock off ladder leader Williamstown and with it dropped out of the top six in the penultimate round of the Victorian Sub-district Cricket Association’s east-west season.
The Lions entered the two-day clash in sixth position, with Werribee and Croydon hot on their tails in the chase for a finals spot.
The Lions had Williamstown in trouble at 5-78 on day one, before the Seagulls recovered to make 226.
At tea on Saturday, the Lions were 1-100 – a perfect spot to launch an attack.
From there, it all went wrong for the Lions. Melton coach Nathan Geisler described the game as one that slipped away.
“We got into really good spots in the game on both days,” he said. “At 1-100, we probably should have won the game.
“Even at 3-151 we still had 20 overs to bat and needed about five runs an over.
“I said to the boys that we couldn’t afford to lose clumps of wickets – but that’s what we did.”
The Lions collapsed, losing 7-34 to be all out for 183.
The top order fired, but everyone from No.4 down failed to reach double figures.
Anthony Gale and Ben MacRae both made 50s, while Michael Alexander made 43.
Geisler said that in an ideal world, one of those three would have gone on and made big scores.
“We needed one of the set batsmen to bat through,” he said.
“They bowled and fielded really well, though, and they know how to play that ground.”
The Lions are now two points behind fifth-placed Werribee and sixth-placed Croydon entering the final round.
The Lions have the hardest task in the final round of the three sides fighting for the last two finals spots.
They will face second-placed Balwyn, while Werribee and Croydon both face sides outside the top six.
Since Christmas, the Lions have won just one match.
Geisler, who didn’t play against Williamstown, will return to the side for the Balwyn game.
He said the Lions needed to focus on winning and not worry about the other final-round results.
“The main focus is to get the six points,” he said. “If we can win, we just need one other result to go our way.
“We’re going to go out there with freedom and try to get the result we are after.”
The Lions’ women’s side suffered a loss to Carlton-Brunswick in Victorian Premier Cricket seconds.
Carlton-Brunswick made 9-180, with the Lions managing 157 in reply.
It was just the third one-day match the Lions have played this season, with their other six scheduled matches not going ahead. The Lions remain in fourth spot with one round to go.
