By STEVE MENZIES
A buzzer beating penalty and resultant goal enabled Federal Club Eastside to snatch a one-goal win against rival KFC A-Grade netball team Rovers Complete Construction on Saturday.
The goal gave Federal an exciting 48-47 victory after leading for most of the game.
Rovers had come from behind to take a two-goal lead inside the final three minutes.
A goal from its centre and then another from a turn-over on Rovers’ set the scene for the climatic finish.
Federal worked the ball forward to Brooke Wilson, who had scored 34 goals.
In a desperate attempt to block the shot Rovers defender Tracey Meekings shirt-fronted Wilson and both end up on the floor. Â
Wilson handed the ball to Simone Tribe to take the resultant penalty and she calmly shot the winning goal.
“I did not know that time was up and was a bit emotional after the incident,” Wilson said post game.
“I let my feelings get the better of me.
“I feel good now.
“There was a bit on during the game and we had to counter but in the end we got there.
“It was hard getting back to netball after the July break.
“I had not played before that due to the Coronavirus in Victoria.
“But I will be playing the rest of the season with Federal.”
Rovers had scored four of the first five goals but Federal fought back to level the scores at 5-each at the five minute mark.
Federal controlled most of the game from then and opened a lead of five goals a number of times.
Only sharp shooting by Suzi Barter, 29 goals, to finish the centre court work by Lauren Parai enabled Rovers to stay in touch.
But in the end Wilson and her quality teammates stood tall to level the ledger with Rovers at three wins each and one game to play, in round 18, before the grand final between them.
There were interesting results through the other grades as well.
In the A-Reserves the two Wests teams regained the places in the top four after scoring good wins,
Wests Epilogue took control of its game against Federal Office National Angels with a 17 goals to 10 second quarter.
It then finished the game with 12 goals to six in the fourth term to win 56-36.
Tiarni Pon was again a key target for Epilogue in attack and netted 36 goals for the game.
Wests Gillen Club scored a 41-31 win against second-placed Neata Glass Giants which was playing its first game since play-making centre Rowena Petrenas left Alice Springs
In the other A-Reserves game top side Rovers Complete Construction had a 67-32 win against Federal Club Eastside.
Both sides brought players in from their 17-and-under teams. Federal added Charlotte Rudd, Charlotte O’Neil, Izzy Ross and Coco Cavalear to its team while Rovers added Christa Ziem and Chloe Bethel.
Top B-Grade team Federal MPH had a hard time against fifth-placed Wests Jaws Contracting before winning 39-35,
There were two forfeits in the B2-Grade while the top two teams, Rovers Complete Construction and Wests Ward Keller, had big wins against teams outside the top four.
Top C-Grade team Rovers BnTz put its foot down early in the contest with third-placed Giants Dreamers and raced to 13-7 lead at Quarter time.
Giants brought Sarah Kloeden on into the attack circle, among other positional moves, at the break and turned the game on its head scoring 12 goals to five to take a one-goal lead into the long break.
Rovers reacted like a top side should, scoring 13 and 12 goals in the next two terms to win 43-35.
Fourth-placed Wests Jaws Contracting consolidated its place for the finals with a 23-21 win, after leading 13-7 at half time, against challenger Federal Swifts.
There was an upset in Division 1 of the 17-and-under grade with second-placed Federal Red defeating Giants Bark’n’Bath, which had dominated the grade, 50-45.
The two Rovers sides in Division had wins to continue their positions at the top of the ladder.
An 18-all draw between Rovers Rampage and Seasons Complete Fencing & Steel Deals highlighted the junior grades.
Rovers led 9-2, 10-8 and 13-12 at the three breaks but Seasons kept on coming to the end.
The Coronavirus outbreaks and lockdowns in Victoria has forced the Festival of Netball, featuring Sharni Norton and Sarah Wall, to be postponed until early next season.