Old Scotch runs over the top of undermanned Old Trinity in final quarter of Victorian Amateur Football Association clash

WITH its back to the wall early in the final term, Old Scotch produced a sensational come-from-behind victory on Saturday.

VAFA Footy: Old Scotch v Old Trinity at Camberwell Oval. Evgeni Routman and Ed Weatherson.

WITH its back to the wall early in the final term, Old Scotch produced a sensational come-from-behind victory on Saturday.

Things looked dire for the home side at the Camberwell Sports Ground as Old Trinity kicked the first goal of the last quarter to extend its lead beyond three goals.

Precariously placed in fourth spot on the Premier ladder, a loss would have seen Scotch drop outside the all important top four.

After missing opportunities throughout the match the home team managed to take advantage of a struggling Old Trinity line-up that lacked personnel late in the game.

A number of injuries and a sending-off left the visitors with just 17 men late in the third quarter.

Trailing by more than four goals deep into the third quarter, Old Scotch kept itself in the game with a couple of late goals.

“In the third term they were able to kick a couple of goals to extend their lead out so things weren’t looking great,” Old Scotch co-coach Stuart Powell said.

“But, we kicked a few late ones and you felt the momentum shift heading into the final break.”

Inaccuracy had hurt Scotch in the second and third quarters but it grasped opportunities in the fourth, with four goals to one, to prevail, 10.19 (79) to 10.13 (73)

“Our boys did well, it got out to four goals in the last quarter so credit to the boys to keep working and get the win,” Powell said.

Over the next few weeks Old Scotch takes on the bottom three sides with a chance to secure a top-four spot on offer.

Kris Spassopoulos and Jack Hurley contest a ruck duel on Saturday. Picture: Andrew Brownbill

A LACK of personnel and critical errors proved costly for Old Trinity as Old Scotch ran over the top of it in the final term on Saturday.

Coming off a 69-point defeat at the hands of the second-placed St Bernards, Old Trinity had a point to prove to the rest of Premier division.

An intensely contested start to the game saw just 10 goals kicked in the first half, with the visitors taking an eight-point lead to the main break.

By three-quarter time Old Trinity had doubled that lead.

However, assistant-coach Lucien-Deane Johns said his side should have held a bigger advantage.

“We had an opportunity in the third to take control,” he said.

“We got out to a four-goal lead but missed a few opportunities that would have put us five or six goals in front.”

Despite kicking the first goal of the final term, injuries began to take their toll on Old Trinity.

And, after a player was reported late in the third term, they were left with 17 men at a crucial stage of the game.

“Having 17 men on the field for 12 minutes allowed them back into the game,” Johns said.

“We made a couple of critical errors which resulted in easy goals for them which you can’t afford at this level.

“However we probably should have won irrespective of those errors.

“It certainly hurts in terms of ladder position, we’ve had a couple of games this year where we’ve won by single digits because we haven’t made basic errors.”

Old Trinity remains firmly entrenched in the Premier division top four, but now sits two games behind the second-placed St Bernards.