The Blues defeated Eaglehawk 3-2 in an historic clash at the QEO in the process putting a giant dent in the Borough's bid for a fourth-straight championship.

Twice the Blues opened a two-goal advantage before the Borough pressed late to set up a grandstand finish.

"It feels like we've run a marathon,'' a relieved Strathdale coach Jon Bryers said.

"We let them back in in the second half, but they were always going to keep coming. That's what happens with Eaglehawk and that's why they've been the best team for the past five years.

"It was a massive win for our club. The title is what we're after and this is a sweet victory."

With a good crowd on hand to watch the first BASL championship game on the hallowed QEO turf, both sides started nervously.

Few scoring chances were created in the opening 25 minutes and it took some individual brilliance from Strathdale left-back Henry Coventry to set up the opener.

Coventry beat two opponents down the left and played a lovely through ball to striker Sam Farr.

Farr calmly chipped the ball over Borough keeper Jaydon Abbott into the back of the net and the Blues celebrated.

The Blues continued to look the better side, with Eaglehawk lacking creativity through the midfield.

The Hawks had a couple of long-range attemptes, but they really didn't look like scoring.

The Borough's pain intensified seconds before half-time when Jackson Clayton beat the off-side trap and fired the ball past Abbott to double the Blues' lead.

The second half was a different story.

Strathdale went back into its shell and the Hawks lifted their intensity.

Eaglehawk controlled possession for the opening stages of the second stanza, but a combination of the Blues' sound defending and Eaglehawk's inability to connect on the final pass into the box kept the score at 2-0.

The Hawks needed a change of luck and it came in the 60th minute when they were awarded a penalty from a contentious handball decision.

Brent Hamblin slotted the ball in the right-hand corner of the net and the Blues' lead was cut to one.

10 minutes later the Blues restored their two-goal lead.

The Eaglehawk defence cleared the ball outside of the box where it fell to Blues' young gun Matt Gallagher.

Gallagher chipped the ball to the teeth of the goal in an attempt to find a team-mate, but the ball floated over the head of Abbott and into the back of the net.

The referee turned down Eaglehawk's claims that Abbott had been interfered with by a Strathdale striker while trying to block the shot.

The Borough continued to press.

Keegan Smyth had a header hit the crossbar before Scottish import Callum Browett gave his side a lifeline in the 80th minute when he slammed home a shot from just inside the box.

Strathdale's defence was put under immense pressure in the dying stages.

Coach Greg Thomas had a free kick saved and another shot of his flew wide of the target, while several crosses from wide positions weren't converted.

At full-time the Blues celebrated like they'd won a final, while the disappointed Hawks saw their title hopes fade.

On the back of the three points Strathdale is in the box seat to end Eaglehawk's championship run.

The thrilling win lifted the Blues to 22 points - one behind Eaglehawk, but Strathdale has two games in hand.

Moama-Echuca is on top with 24 points, but the Raiders have also played two more games than Strathdale.

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