Pies edged out in thriller

NIGHTCLIFF withstood a feisty Palmerston to run out 16-point winners in a terrific NTFL contest at Northline Oval.

Aaron Cornelious

NIGHTCLIFF withstood a feisty Palmerston to run out 16-point winners in a terrific NTFL contest at Northline Oval.

Aaron Cornelious

The Magpies threw everything at the third-placed Tigers, coming to within five points with five minutes to go before Baydon Ngalkin sealed the 9.14 (68) to 7.10 (52) result.

Despite the win, midfielder Nathan Brown said it was a disappointing way to end the minor rounds with a blockbuster qualifying final clash against Wanderers to come next week.

Aaron Cornelious

"I don't think we achieved what we set out to do tonight," he said. "I think we started well but we were playing nowhere near the level of footy we have been playing in the last couple of weeks.

"We turned the ball over at crucial spots and we needed to get the ball longer and wider. It's a bit of a shame because obviously we want to keep some momentum going into the finals.

"But maybe it was a team-building thing given we had to dig ourselves out of it.

Aaron Cornelious

"I'm very confident in our list and I personally think it is better than what we had two years ago when we made the grand final."

Former Brisbane Lions forward Aaron Cornelius booted the opening goal within the first 60 seconds in a low-scoring first quarter.

His next goal midway through the second quarter opened up a 21-point lead, but three in a row from the Pies cut the margin to two points at half-time.

The rain set in and it was the Tigers who made better use of the wet conditions in the third with three goals to one for a comfortable lead heading into the last.

But Palmerston continually pressed the ball forward to keep the Nightcliff defence under pressure.

In the end Ngalkin coolly converted a set shot with just two minutes left on the clock as the Tigers narrowly escaped defeat with a 1.7 to 1.4 last quarter.