Thomas Ingleton
Mernda showcased its resilience in Northern Football League division 3 on Sunday, emerging victorious in a knockout semi-final game against Epping.
The match ended in unusual circumstances as lightning halted the game with four minutes left on the clock in the last quarter.
The win sets up a high-stakes showdown against Old Paradians for a spot in the grand final.
The semi-final was a fiercely contested game from the outset, Epping got off to a flyer scoring 5.6 with the Demons only managing 2.2 at the end of the first quarter.
From there though it was a dominant performance from Mernda, scoring 6.4 in the second quarter with Epping unable to trouble the scorers again until the third term.
The Demons were relentless in the second half as the Pingers could not handle the pressure they were put under, before lightning resulted in the match being called off with four minutes remaining the game already decided.
Mernda took away the win, 13.14 (92)- 8.10 (58).
Demons coach Robert Fletcher said the main emotion from the group after the game was a real sense of relief.
“It was relieving to actually get the win, and to get a finals win under our belt,” he said. “The game was done with about three minutes to go, then the lightning came, and we all didn’t know the rules but I just went up to Epping’s coach Brad Hollow to shake hands and that was it.”
Matthew Bawden kicked four goals for the Demons, while Josh Mazzarella, Kai Turner and Christian Evans were named their best.
For the Pingers, Michael Gillard, Leigh Judd and Corey Middleton were their best.
The Demons now face Old Paradians, a team that handed them a loss in the first week of finals.
Fletcher said the side is confident they can redeem the loss, but are under no illusions of the challenge they have got on their hands after last time.
“I think they had a good day and they made us have a dirty day, we just have to come with the right intent and we should be well within the game,” he said.
“They’ve got some really good, talented footballers. We have got to get better at all the stoppages for this time around.
He said the history between the two clubs should make for a great contest and the Demons may have a different looking side to face Old Paradians this time around.
“We unfortunately lost our captain in Gus Mills who’s out for the season,” he said.
“But there’s a couple of blokes that have been performing well in the reserves that we are going to have a look at bringing into the team.”
Old Paradians lost their qualifying final with Fitzroy Stars on Saturday, losing 15.9 (99)-14.9 (93).
The win puts the Stars into the grand final.
