EFL 2018: Lilydale wins through to the Division 2 grand final after a 22-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully

LILYDALE will enter the Division 2 grand final against Doncaster East as underdogs but confident it can cause a boilover after a 22-point win over Upper Ferntree Gully in the preliminary final.

YOU could excuse Lilydale for having a sense of disbelief at making the Division 2 grand final.

Instead, the Falcons will be full of belief after a 22-point preliminary final win over Upper Ferntree Gully, ending the Kings’ September campaign in straight sets.

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A berth in the decider against Doncaster East would have been the last thing on Lilydale coach Ben Neagle’s mind last weekend when his side trailed by 42 points midway through the third quarter in a knockout final against Bayswater.

Instead, he is now planning for the club’s first grand final since the 2011 triumph.

“I wouldn’t call it disbelief, I think belief is the reason we are in this position,” Neagle said. “You go back to the Bayswater game and it wasn’t about how far back we were or how bad we were playing, it was just about how we could fix it.

“It was just a mindset thing from the group and from that point on, from the second half going through to Saturday, it’s all about belief.”

Lilydale coach Ben Neagle gives his instructions. Picture: Steve Tanner

Lilydale’s 14.10 (94) to 10.12 (72) win was bookended by six goals in the first and last quarters.

The Falcons held a 16-point halftime lead, but had to absorb a manic third term from Upper Gully.

The Kings held a two-point advantage at the final change after keeping Lilydale to two behinds in the third term, extending their lead beyond a goal to start the last quarter.

But full of run and dare, the Falcons showed signs of their best football to boot six of the last seven goals of the game.

Beau Mitchener was again a dominant force in the ruck, while Ryan Harvey put in his best game of the year with a three-goal performance.

Lilydale started the season 11-1 but had to win a spot in the decider from third.

The Falcons will enter the grand final against Doncaster East as underdogs but Neagle’s side is playing its best football at the business end of the campaign.

“If we can bring our best for long periods of time, we are going to be every chance,” Neagle said of causing a boilover.

“That second half against Bayswater, I think we really started to get back to the stuff we were doing in the first half of the year.

“It’s good timing to ride this tidal wave of momentum that we’ve got at the moment and playing the way that we’re playing.”