BUSSELTON Magpies league side have secured their spot in the 2014 SWFL finals after defeating Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Lions at home on Saturday night.
The Magpies win, coupled with Collie Eagles’ loss against Carey Park, means they are three games clear in fifth spot with just two matches remaining.
Busselton are also two games behind fourth-placed Carey Park so their final ladder position doesn’t look like changing.
Although they ran out comfortable winners in the end, Busselton were strongly challenge by the Lions in the first half.
HBL were led by strong efforts from Jarrad Watson, Kaiden Aitkin and Ashley Thornton, who finished with seven goals, led at the first change after an entertaining first quarter which saw eight goals kicked between the two sides.
They continued to match Busselton in the second quarter with the ledger even at four goals a-piece and at halftime the Lions led the Magpies by eight points.
In the third quarter Busselton flexed their muscles and blew the game open with a four goal to one term to lead 13 points at the final change.
And, in the final stanza they were able to hold on to their advantage and outscore the Lions five goals to four.
If not for some inaccurate kicking by the Magpies, and some very accurate sharp-shooting from the Lions, the margin could have been bigger but in the end Busselton triumphed 16.15 (111) to 14.2 (86).
Best players for the Magpies were Brent Snook, Adam Dehring, Dan McGinlay, Tim Ioannou, Kyle Hams and Jackson Arbon. Snook was also Busselton’s leading goalscorer with four while Nathan Bradbury kicked three and Aiden Fraser, Sean Trombetta and Adam Booth got two each.
The reserves and colts matches were much more one-sided in Busselton favour with the Magpies winning by 59 and 36 points respectively.
Best players for the Magpies reserves were Scott Wagner, Brodie Howell, Jedd Brennan, Riley Arbon, Jake Reynolds and Kim Harper. The colts best players were James McKay, Luke Hutchins, Jed Kemp, Dillon Sukroo, Bailey Sanford and Liam Kelly.
