EFL 2019: Silvan keeps top-four hopes alive
The race for the remaining spot in the EFL Division 4 top four could come down to the final round after Silvan scored a 32-point win over Surrey Park.
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There’s one spot left up for grabs in the EFL Division 4 top four and Silvan ensured the race for a finals berth could go down to the final round.
Silvan trailed Surrey Park by 22 points at quarter-time and was two down on the bench from halfway through the second quarter.
But the Cats dug deep to score a 32-point win to keep their finals hopes alive.
The 17.15 (117) to 13.7 (85) win drew Silvan level with Surrey Park on eight wins.
The Panthers maintain fourth position but have a bye this weekend.
Silvan will start as outsiders against ladder-leader East Burwood in Round 16, but would be expected to score percentage-boosting wins over bottom three clubs Kilsyth and Nunawading in its final two games.
Surrey Park is set to meet the out-of-the-running Forest Hill and Nunawading, meaning the final spot in the top four could be decided by percentage.
The two are separated by just 4.11 per cent with three rounds remaining.
“It’s going to come down to an old-fashioned shootout in the last couple of weeks,” Silvan coach Trent Martin said.
“As long as we’ve got something to play for, we’re always a chance to still play finals and I’m pretty confident that if we play like we did on Saturday we can make finals.”
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It was a backs against the wall performance from Silvan.
Experienced midfielder Zac Higgins (concussion) and ruckman Josh Fisher (hamstring) played no part in the game from halfway through the second quarter.
But the Cats produced a 54-point turnaround from after quarter-time to improve their record to 8-5.
Martin said a lose would have ended Silvan’s chances of featuring in its first finals series since the 2014 flag.
“To lose them (Higgins and Fisher), that hurt, and we obviously could have lied down but we rallied,” he said.
“I had a kid, Lachie Lynch, he played a full game on the ball in the under-19s and then played a full game on the ball in the seniors as well.
“It’s what he wants to do — play with his mates — and he can get away with doing it … it’s an odd situation but you’ve got to deal with the cards you’re given.”
Martin said the club’s emerging talent were pivotal in the result.
Under-19 players Matteo D’Alfonso, Luke Kustreba and Tyson Bissels were all important contributors.
“We got a couple of kids up from the under-19s, who have been dominating down there and I thought that was the difference in the end,” Martin said.
“It was a good look at the Silvan of the future … I thought they were our better players and it’s exciting for the next few weeks.”
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