EFL 2018: Lilydale facing elimination final against Bayswater after two-point loss against Doncaster East

AFTER occupying the Division 2 top two for most of the season, Lilydale will need to defy recent history if it is to win this year’s premiership.

AFTER occupying the Division 2 top two for most of the season, Lilydale will need to defy recent history if it is to win this year’s premiership.

Saturday’s two-point loss against Doncaster East all but consigned to the Falcons to an elimination final against Bayswater on September 2.

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No second tier premier has come from outside the top two since Blackburn won three consecutive finals from fourth in 2002.

Only nine sides have come from third or fourth to win the grand final since the Eastern Football League was formed in 1962.

Lilydale coach Ben Neagle. Picture: Hamish Blair

Lilydale would need to defeat Mulgrave, which is fighting to avoid relegation, in Round 18 and rely on Croydon upsetting Upper Ferntree Gully to leapfrog the Kings into the double chance zone.

The Falcons were arguably the better team for the game but were left to stew over a costly lapse early in the third quarter when Doncaster East piled on five goals in the first nine minutes.

The onslaught turned a 15-point halftime deficit into a 15-point advantage as lead changed quickly as the weather at Lilydale Sports Oval, with players greeted with hail, wind, rain and even sunshine in a typical Melbourne day.

Despite Lilydale’s late lunge in the final 10 minutes, the burst proved decisive as Doncaster East all but secured the minor premiership with a 10.7 (67) to 9.11 (65) victory.

Despite suffering a third consecutive defeat, Lilydale coach Ben Neagle said his side was building for finals.

“I think our guys were really good for a long period of time and I think if anything, it gives us confidence going in hopefully in the next couple of weeks,” Neagle said.

“We’ve started to turn the corner and we took another step on Saturday.”

Tori Klaas-Henry on the go for Lilydale. Picture: Hamish Blair

Lilydale trailed by as much as 20 points halfway through the last quarter before almost staging a come-from-behind win.

Goals to Tori Klaas-Henry, Brandon Droessler and Ryan McNay brought the home crowd to life before Jack Sholakis responded when he ran into an open goalsquare.

Ryan Harvey launched Lilydale’s ninth goal from 45m just 30 seconds later at the 25-minute mark, only for the final siren to sound with the ball locked in the Falcons’ forward 50.

Neagle said his side could win the flag via a knockout final on Sunday week.

“You know as much as I do how even the competition is, I think anyone from first to fourth can win it,” Neagle said.