Yarrwonga beats Wangaratta Rovers in Ovens and Murray preliminary final

The Pigeons led by 36 points early in the second quarter, but the Hawks kicked seven of the next 10 goals to cut the margin to a goal early in the final term.

However, the favourites then kicked five of the last six to post a 14.7 (91) to 8.12 (60) win in front of a strong crowd of 2750 at North Albury's Bunton Park.

The 31-point margin, the largest of the five finals, wasn't a genuine reflection, with Yarrawonga only 13 points up with seven minutes left.

"They're a super team, we knew they were going to come at us and they did, we were able to quell that, that bit of a momentum shift to hold down the fort and get it back in our favour," Pigeons' coach Mark Whiley offered of the rollercoaster match.

Rovers had another slow start, missing their first four shots before impressive teenager Alex McCarthy drilled one early in the second quarter.

The previous week, Rovers trailed by 37 points against Albury, and had kicked 3.15 at one stage, yet won a five-point thriller.

"I think at half-time (against Yarrawonga) we had one more scoring shot (3.9 to 8.3) and were four goals down," Hawks' coach Daryn Cresswell explained.

"We fought our way back in the contest and it took its toll again, if you don't take your chances in front of goal and, once again, they were simple ones."

Forward Alex Marklew has been hampered by a quad injury and in a horror four-minute period late in the first quarter, prime ball movers Dylan Stone (ankle) and defender Sam Murray (hamstring) limped off in a bitter blow.

Stone never returned, while Murray courageously played forward.

When Doug Strang medallist Leigh Williams kicked his first goal from 50m at the one-minute mark of the second quarter, the contest looked over.

Nick Fothergill had been sensational, kicking the first two goals into the breeze in the opening nine minutes, while the rapidly improving Will Sexton was superb in defence.

However, Rovers' Jack Gerrish took three bounces on the far side and nailed a shot from 35m, while Jake McQueen was inspirational.

The Pigeons landed only two behinds in the third as the Hawks cut the margin to a kick with three majors, including a banana belter from Murray on the wrong side for a left footer.

ALSO IN SPORT:

When Rovers' Ryan Stone received a 50m penalty it was still a kick, but the Pigeons showed their maturity against the undermanned and tiring Hawks late.

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