EFL 2019: Croydon advances to semi-final date against Doncaster East
Croydon is one win away from the EFL Division 1 grand final after a spirited 11-point win over Lilydale in the qualifying final.
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The Division 1 home-and-away season was littered with thrilling finishes.
And early evidence would suggest the final series will be likewise.
Croydon advanced to a semi-final date against Doncaster East after an 11-point win over Lilydale at Tormore Reserve on Saturday.
The Blues led for the majority of the contest but the Falcons erased a 21-point deficit from midway through the third quarter when Lachie Wilson gave them the go-ahead goal at the 12-minute mark of the final term.
But a spirited Croydon rallied in the final 10 minutes to score its first finals win since 2014.
A five-goal haul from Riley Costantino proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The clever forward capitalised on his opportunities to deliver Croydon to a 11.4 (70) to 8.11 (59) win.
“We went into the season hoping to play a final but to actually be in the position we’re in right now is outstanding,” Croydon coach Morris D’Alessandro said.
“I talk about this group and they’ve come on leaps and bounds but there is so much more upside.”
Croydon established a 21-point lead in the first minute of the third quarter when Aden Thompson expertly roved off the pack in the pocket.
Lilydale was two down on the bench as Bryce Batty (head knock) and Sam Baker (collar bone) watched from the sidelines, but momentum was firmly with the Falcons at three-quarter time.
Beau Mitchener had threatened to drag Lilydale across the line.
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The ruckman was a tower of strength in defence to be the most influential player on the ground.
Constantino capitalised on a turnover in defensive 50 with one of the last kicks of the third quarter to push Croydon’s lead out to 15 points at the final change.
Lilydale had shaved the deficit to eight points but Constantino’s third major provided a steadier.
Wilson was the threat in attack and kicked two goals in the first 12 minutes of the final term to give the Falcons the lead for the first time since early in the first term.
His first was a classy snap from the boundary, followed by the goal of the day when he dribbled one home from a coast-to-coast play.
But Croydon kicked the last three goals to deny Lilydale passage for the right to win through to the decider.
D’Alessandro marvelled at his side’s fighting spirit.
“Their never-say-die attitude is amazing. I’ve got faith in these boys,” he said.
“They never give up and we’re never out of the contest and we just know when we get our type of game going that we’re pretty hard to beat.”
It was Batty’s third game back from a lengthy lay-off from concussion but he was cleared of any serious damage, while Baker finished the game with his arm in a sling.
Lilydale coach Ben Neagle said inaccuracy in front of goal proved costly, as it has done countless times this season.
The Falcons first goal did not come until the 23-minute mark of the second term and they were left to rue a string of missed opportunities in the first half.
Neagle said Mitchener “pretty much carried us on his shoulders” but Costantino was the matchwinner.
“I thought we were really brave and courageous to get ourselves back in the contest after having a pretty lacklustre first half,” Neagle said.
“To get our noses in front, disappointing to lose.
“We gave ourselves every opportunity to win the game but we just didn’t take it.”
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