EDFL 2019: Avondale Heights claims crucial Premier Division win
Donald McDonald’s Avondale Heights picked up their third win of 2019 on Saturday, leaving them a game clear of Airport West as the race to avoid relegation intensifies.
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Avondale Heights gave their hopes of surviving in EDFL Premier Division a much-needed boost with victory over Essendon Doutta Stars on Saturday.
While the Heights are not safe yet, the triumph left them a game and more than 5 per cent clear of Airport West with three rounds remaining.
The pair will square off in a pivotal encounter in Round 17, which is set to decide which team contests Division 1 in 2020.
Coach Donald McDonald heaped praise on his players after the club snapped an eight-game losing run with a 14-point win over the Stars away from home.
“In a weird way, it is exciting because we always knew this year was going to be a really big challenge for us to stay up,” McDonald said.
“We went super young and spent all our recruiting efforts in trying to get younger kids through the under-19s.
“There’s so much at stake with the relegation spot. For us, if we stay up this year, it will be such a huge achievement for everyone.”
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The Heights, who have a 3-12 record, will face Pascoe Vale, the Eagles and Greenvale in the remaining rounds.
In tough conditions, Avondale Heights kicked four unanswered goals to the scoring end in the third quarter to establish a 35-point advantage at the final break.
The Stars responded with three goals in the final term, while the Heights were held scoreless, but they went down 6.15 (51) to 5.7 (37).
McDonald was concerned his team’s wastefulness in front of goal could prove costly.
“We got a heap of momentum around the footy and our backline really stood up,” he said of the third quarter.
“I was a bit concerned at three-quarter-time that we just didn’t have a big enough break because we just didn’t take all our chances.
“It nearly turned out that way because Douttas were running all over the top of us in the end.
“To our guys’ credit, they toughed it out, hung in there and it ended up being a great win for us.”
Captain Mathew Cravino (two goals), Donnacadh Cleary, Justin Morris, Scott Harding and Sean Bolger shone for the winners.
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