In the Goomalling Blues' challenge for Toodyay's fourth spot on the ladder, the result depended on which could handle a four-goal tricky breeze continually favouring one end.

Goomalling had it in the opening term and set the pattern of the game, rocketing away with 10 shots at goal for four of the best.

Toodyay's reply of two solitary points confirmed the standard with misdirection excusable given the conditions and pressure but more importantly the shots at goal indicating which side had the majority of play given the wind advantage.

It was the Lions' turn in the second quarter and with a snapped major from Jack Dasborough in the opening minutes, Toodyay romped away with a scoring feast to outmatch Goomalling's first term effort with 11 shots for seven and with the Blues' notching only a point for the term, established a three-goal Toodyay lead going into the second half.

Both having even dibs at the advantage, that lead should have indicated the final result despite the Blues' capitalising on the assistance to claw back to a one point deficit going into the final term.

With the wind at their back and the main sail set, Toodyay, with their credentials established as to what they can do with the breeze, were looking at coasting home for an easy win.

But as Goomalling has proved on most occasions this season, their final quarter is their best and regardless of the odds has been able to muster something out of nothing.

Keeping the game at ground level, Goomalling's runners opted for the handball and short passes to continually worry the ball into their scoring quarter while Toodyay's long boot to their end was met by a solid back line.

The conditions and the desperation in this period invited an untidy style of football but fumbles and turnovers were fewer in the Blues' numbers as they scrambled their way to a lead against all odds.

With points easy to get, majors were at a premium and as the game moved toward the unpredicted 1.5 win to Goomalling, the Blues could well remember the two shots which hit the post in the final term as also Toodyay's run-in with the umpire which saw a gimme goal turned over to a free shot from the goal mouth to Goomalling.

Statistically Toodyay should have won but Goomalling, once again, proved they have no idea of the impetus on the scoreboard.

Of Goomalling's runners, Cory Leeson was named his club's best while Chad Broughton's two hard-to-get goals and his foraging in the forward line, received Toodyay's accolades.

Too close for

comfort

With Calingiri struggling at the bottom of the ladder and desperately needing a win to get back into the competition and Wongan-Ballidu enjoying the highlights of the top four and needing to stay there, the four points difference in their game was too close for comfort for vastly different reasons.

It was probably Calingiri's last chance for a finals berth and for the Boomers a loss would have made them extremely vulnerable in their number two position.

Like most venues, a difficult buffeting wind invited more points than goals but did not favour either end.

With this scenario set, Wongan-Ballidu got a three-goal jump in the first quarter which was probably to prove a saving point to the end game as Calingiri's second quarter reply narrowed the margin to just two goals going into the remaining half.

But while the Cougars have been bemoaning, in previous games, that they have been lacking in their midfield it was not on this occasion as that area dominated in the third to feed five of the best, as compared with the Boomers' two, to take a three-quarter lead of one goal.

This was to signal a dire struggle in the final term with the game's result in either hand.

Boomers' move of Brent Pike into the midfield provided a little more run and muscle but Calingiri still maintained a narrow lead until Wongan-Ballidu's full forward Josh Jacobs posted a major to put the Boomers in front with just five minutes to go.

The drama was not to end there as the Cougars' Dan King booted from 50 metres out but only to be grabbed in the goalmouth by the Boomers' ruckman Brett Lines for the saving mark of the day.

As Wongan-Ballidu's captain Brett Lines continues in his rucking role as notable, his duel with the Calingiri counterpart, Jarrad Riddick, attracted votes to see the unusual where both ruckmen were named their club's best.

The result of this game may see Calingiri's comeback road difficult but for Wongan-Ballidu, the depth of character shown is a far cry from that of the past where they would have lost close matches.

Dead track

In horse racing parlance it was a dead track at Gingin and with the speed of the game limited, accuracy was at a premium which the home side had, in abundance, and the visiting Dalwallinu, in comparison, did not.

Gingin's 12 shots for nine and Dally's 13 for six exemplifies the play - a close game if it wasn't for the 'Dogs misdirection.

And to rub salt into the wound, an ex-Dally, now Gingin full forward, Geoffrey Rouse's six and an odd point sealed the game in the scoring department.

Dally's cause was not helped with their coach Wayne Otway out with an ankle injury at half time, new full forward Jayden Lagana "hamstrung", nifty winger Will Roach lasting ten minutes, half back Chris Chilcott with AC joint problems and a couple of 15 year-olds making up numbers while Gingin appeared to be fielding their best side.

It was an even game to half time with the Eagles ahead by five points but with a bit of wind at their backs Gingin mastered the opposition with three straight while Dally managed 1.2 in the third and establish a lead, which Dally could not overcome despite an even scoreline in the final period.

Middle man Wayne Smith was named Gingin's best and Lynton Indich at centre half back, possibly limiting Rouse's impressive tally to even more, received the nod for Dally.

Indich's goal from the back line could be considered a long punt.