An 11-goal haul by Southern Districts spearhead Grace Mulvahil lifts her side to a 18-goal win

SOUTHERN Districts, St Mary’s and the Buffettes engaged in a duel for two of the top three ladder positions in women’s football.

Southern Districts' 11-goal hero Grace Mulvahil has eyes only for the major uprights. Picture: Felicity Elliott AFLNT

A GRACE Mulvahil goalkicking cameo has propelled reigning Women’s Premier League premiers Southern Districts to an 18-goal win over Tracy Village.

Mulvahil booted 11 of Districts’ 18 goals in the big win over the competition’s cellar dwellers.

In a performance that fell only three goals short of Waratah spearhead Abby Holmes’ 14 in the 2014-15 season, her coach Tarmon Elliott rated “top shelf’’.

“Grace did it all herself – leading up the ground, contested ball, the lot, she was great for us in a win that has kept our top-three chances alive,” Elliott said.

Rhiannon Busch and Bella Clarke were other good players in the Crocodiles’ romp.

Darwin Buffettes produced another multiple goalkicker when Ashanti Bush booted seven majors in her side’s 76-point win over Wanderers at the Tracy Village ground.

Bush was untouchable in a forward-midfield role that had her coach Chris Atkinson full of praise for the speedster post-match.

“Ashanti was pretty special for us, along with Dom Carbone in the middle, especially when it was tight early on and she got going, putting the game out of reach of Wanderers,” Atkinson told the NT News. Nightcliff recorded an important win over Palmerston with Waratah breathing down their neck in pursuit of fifth spot and an elimination final berth.

Eliza Morrison and Jamie-Lee Puautjimi inspired the Tigers to a 12.13 (85) to 1.3 (9) victory that included Lauren Gooden’s five goals.

That result, combined with Tahs’ seven-point loss to St Mary’s at Gardens Oval, means Nightcliff has to beat Southern Districts at Fred’s Pass next week, and their beachside rivals at Gardens Oval in the last round to claim fifth spot.

The Saints were too good for Tahs on a day when it poured rain, produced steamy sunshine and turned cold, all in the blink of an eye.

Their 2.9 (21) to 2.2 (14) win owed a lot to the defensive skills of Shailyn Peris and Eliza Shannon, who repelled wave after wave of Waratah forward thrusts.