Mark Williams takes the honours in battle of VAFA veteran coaches against Mark Riley’s St Bernard’s

AFL premiership coach Mark Williams won the battle of the VAFA’s veteran mentors as his Ajax side downed Mark Riley’s St Bernard’s by nine points.

Mark Williams keeps an eye on Dustin Martin during his stint at Richmond. Picture: Hamish Blair.

AFL premiership coach Mark Williams won the battle of the VAFA’s veteran mentors on Saturday as his Ajax side downed Mark Riley’s St Bernard’s by nine points.

The former Port Adelaide coach steered Ajax to a 13.10 (88) to 11.13 (79) victory at Gary Smorgon Oval, handing the Snowdogs their third loss of the Premier B season.

Williams, who led Port Adelaide for 274 matches including their 2004 grand final win, took the coaching reins at Ajax this season.

Riley, an experienced assistant coach who had stints at Carlton, Fremantle, Melbourne and Gold Coast, is in his second season at the helm of St Bernard’s.

Riley’s Snowdogs could only manage three goals after halftime, having led by 17 points at the main break.

The Snowdogs seized the initiative with a seven-goal second term, but Ajax rallied to trim the margin to 10 points at three-quarter-time.

The hosts booted four goals to one in the last quarter to draw level with third-placed St Bernard’s on five wins after its nine-point victory.

David Fayman and Jake Lew combined for nine goals for the victors, while Zachary Braun and Ben Kalmus were the matchwinners.

Edyn Sibbald kicked four majors for the Snowdogs, taking his season tally to 18 goals, while Alex McLeod and Alex Singleton impressed.

St Bernard’s next meets Peninsula Old Boys on June 17.

The third and fourth-placed sides are six points behind Old Scotch, which played out a draw with unbeaten Old Brighton on Saturday.

Fitzroy downed Old Carey by 19 points, Peninsula accounted for Monash Blues by four points and Parkdale Vultures claimed a convincing win by 50 points over Mazenod.