Macedon holds out fast-finishing Kyneton to claim Riddell District women’s premiership

Macedon has been crowned queens of the Riddell District, and earned redemption, after holding off Kyneton in an epic women’s grand final.

Scarlett Lynch in action for Macedon. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Redemption and a first Riddell District women’s premiership for Macedon.

In a grand final epic, the Cats held off reigning premiers Kyneton to claim a heart-stopping one-point victory.

The 5.8 (38) to 5.7 (37) victory at Gilbert Gordon Oval turns the tables after last year’s decider, while Tigers captain Teagan Ainslie was awarded the best-on-ground medal.

Macedon kicked out to a 13-point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter and looked headed for the flag before Kyneton stormed home with the last two goals of the game.

However, the Cats held firm to lift the cup.

Lilli Collins in action for Macedon. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Scarlett Lynch in action for Macedon. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Coach Damian Slater heaped praise on his girl’s resilience under immense pressure.

“It’s amazing for Macedon footy club, the introduction of the girls team for the whole club has been amazing,” Slater said.

“Jeez, Kyneton threw everything at us.

“I checked the clock, it was about two-and-a-half minutes when they kicked that second goal.

“I felt we were on top in the last quarter, in the first half of it, we got out to 13 points … then there were a couple of little incidents and the momentum swung really quickly.

“The girls stood up in the last five minutes, they were pretty amazing, they cracked in pretty hard.”

Macedon could have almost finished the game in the first quarter but kicked 2.7 while keeping Kyneton scoreless.

The Tigers launched back into the match with a three-goal second term, levelling the scores at half-time.

Kyneton took its first lead of the match with the first goal of the third term before momentum swung back the Cats’ way and two goals saw them take a six-point lead into the final change.

A point in the opening minute of the fourth would prove match-deciding.

Macedon goalled in the 10th minute to take a 13-point lead before Kyneton’s last-ditch comeback but it wasn’t enough.

“The first quarter we had nine shots on goal for 2.7, it could have been a different story but Kyneton willed themselves back into the game, their good players got on top, and we went into half-time even,” Slater said.

“I was a little concerned at half-time and we made a couple of moves that paid dividends – young Ella Jeffrey was getting a lot of the footy so we shut her down, Lily Prater took her influence away.

“We were a goal up at three-quarter-time and willed ourselves over the line, it was pretty nerve-racking in that final quarter.

“We didn’t talk a lot about (last year) but it was in the back of the mind … we did say we had some unfinished business, so it was a good result in the end.”

Ninna Harbinson was named best-on-ground for the victors.

Co-captain Scarlett Lynch, Charlotte Noonan, Lulu Slater, Ruby Watts and Lily Prater also impressed, while other co-captain Lilli Collins finished with two goals.

“Ninna was epic, she’s one of our youth girls,” Collins said.

“Across half-back so was amazing, that was her best game by a country mile.

“Scarlett, our captain, was at centre half-back and her rebound out of defence were amazing.

“Charlotte is our full-forward, she only kicked a goal but she just contested all day.

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“You could tell they’d put a lot of work into her but my message was just compete, compete, compete and she did exactly that.”

For Kyneton, Ainslie was best afield.

Eligh Blume, Jasmine Short, Eliza Coutts, Laura Roberts (three goals) and Ella Jeffrey stood tall.

Such is the strength of their programs, Kyneton and Macedon will also contest the Youth Girls grand final on Sunday.