James Bristow beat the final siren by a split second with a pack mark and then held his nerve to goal and snatch victory for Golden Square at Gisborne's Gardiner Reserve.
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In his first game back in the Bendigo league since 2011 after playing 15 senior WAFL games for Peel Thunder, Bristow went the journey from 52m directly in front, just clearing the pack on the goal line, to give Golden Square the 10.14 (74) to 9.15 (69) victory.
The scenario was hardly new to these two clubs. Still fresh in the memory was the 2012 grand final where Gisborne had its own after the siren kick, but Rod Sharp didn't make the distance.
Gisborne was clinging to a one-point lead at a stoppage on the wing with seconds to go when Simon Rosa won the clearance and wheeled onto his right.
Bristow came crashing over a pack of four to take a grab and beat the siren by the slimmest margin.
"I thought he was best on ground," Golden Square coach Rick Ladson said of Bristow.
"He's given us an avenue we didn't have. Competed well, took marks and then to kick a goal after the siren...welcome back."
Read more: BFNL rewind - round 11, 2010
Golden Square had twice looked like taking the victory earlier than the last gasp, leading by 24 points in the third quarter and 11 in time-on of the last.
But on both occasions Gisborne would hit back, missing a gilt-edged opportunity of its own to open a two-score lead mid-way through the final term.
Square had built its biggest lead of the day on the back of Mark Lloyd's hard running and resolute defence from Dale Young and Jon Coe.
When Lloyd hit up Bristow for a mark and goal nine minutes into the third term the gap was out to 23 points.
A minute later first-gamer Harry Whittle missed a banana kick on the run that could have made the difference 29.
That was warning enough for Gisborne, clicking into gear with Scott Walsh and Casey Summerfield turning the tide in midfield to spark three goals in four minutes.
Matt Knox's volley kick 50 seconds into the final term put Gisborne in front, before three consecutive Gisborne misses, the last of which was Darren Farrugia from just 20m out in front after a 50m penalty.
Square coach Rick Ladson kicked truly after a pushing free 15 minutes into the quarter to re-take the lead, then Bristow intercepted a Gisborne kick-in to goal and make the margin 11.
But a goal for Knox had Gisborne back within a kick, then on 25 minutes Farrugia converted after his second 50m penalty of the quarter when Clayton Anderson got him high.
Jack Geary made a vital intercept to launch a counter-attack 27 minutes in, but the passage ended with Ladson's 40m set shot off hands and through for a point.
Enough time still remained for Rosa to launch the match-winning attack in the 30th minute.
Golden Square .................. 2.3 5.9 7.12 10.14 (74)
Gisborne ........................... 3.6 3.9 6.11 9.15 (69)
GOALS - Golden Square: J. Bristow 3, H. Whittle 2, T. Paterson, R. Ladson, N. Carter, M. Lloyd, J. Daley. Gisborne: D. Farrugia 4, M. Knox 3, O. Messaoudi, C. Illman. BEST - Golden Square: J. Bristow, S. Rosa, M. Lloyd, M. Compston, J. Geary, S. Wilkie. Gisborne: C. Summerfield, T. Walsh, O. Messaoudi, A. Belcher, T. May, J. Govan.
STRATHFIELDSAYE v MARYBOROUGH
Strathfieldsaye zoomed back to the top rung of the BFNL ladder with a pulverising 98-point win over Maryborough.
With midfielders Wayne Schultz, Shaun Everington and Callum Brady in control and gun forward Lachlan Sharp resuming after an eight-week lay-off with five goals, the Storm increased their advantage at each quarter break.
The Magpies enjoyed their best period in the third quarter, adding 3.1, but were down to no bench rotations by the last term as they had four injured players on the pine.
There was nothing the Magpies could do to halt the Storm goal-scoring avalanche in the last quarter.
With Cole Roscholler (AC joint), Tyson MacIlwain (ankle), Kyle Lierich (knee), and Daniel Vadala (calf) on the bench and unable to take any further part in the match, Strathfieldsaye went on a nine-goal run.
Strathfieldsaye ................. 5.3 7.8 12.11 21.16 (142)
Maryborough..................... 1.3 1.7 4.8 6.8 (44)
GOALS - Strathfieldsaye: L. Sharp 5, S. Geary, R. Weeding 3, M. Pilcher, W. Schultz 2, T. Dowd, J. Dickens, L. Prior, J. Hall, K. Lea, K. Smith. Maryborough: C. Rinaldi 3, M. Johnston 2, D. Vadala. BEST - Strathfieldsaye: W. Schultz, S. Everington, L. Marchesi, C. Brady, N. Moffat, K. Smith. Maryborough: E. Hurse, D. Vadala, B. Jackson, C. Rinaldi, M. Bond, R. Herd.
Read more: Sandhurst turns attention to 2021 season
SANDHURST v SOUTH BENDIGO
Sandhurst kept its finals hope alive by beating South Bendigo by 67 points in the battle of the QEO co-tenants.
Both teams were markedly different from when the Bloods thrashed Sandhurst by the same margin in round three.
The Shane Meade-coached Dragons went into this contest knowing defeat would keep them two wins from the top five and played with fierce desperation.
Inaccuracy was the only blight on Sandhurst's game.
Ricky Symes bagged four goals for Sandhurst, while Jake Ward was dominant in the air and Codie Price played his best game of the season.
Daniel Nalder, Brady Childs and Daniel Frew were best for the out of form Bloods.
Sandhurst ......................... 1.6 5.12 8.18 13.22 (100)
South Bendigo ................... 0.4 1.5 4.7 4.9 (33)
GOALS - Sandhurst: R. Symes 4, R. Haythorpe, M. Dole 2, B. Holmes, L. Ross, J. Wharton, J. Coghlan, B. Anderson. South Bendigo: T. Dargaville 2, W. Chalmers, G. Hartney. BEST - Sandhurst: J. Ward, C. Price, P. Jennings, M. Dole, A. Wharton, M. Cornish. South Bendigo: D. Nalder, B. Childs, D. Frew, A. Connaughton, J. Smythe, L. Crawford.
Read more: BFNL rewind - round 10, 2008
KANGAROO FLAT v CASTLEMAINE
Castlemaine outplayed Kangaroo Flat for the second time in 2013 in their round 12 clash at Dower Park.
After being down by 14 points at half-time, Castlemaine slammed on four goals in just over five minutes in the third quarter.
The Maine's first victory against Flat ealier in the season had been achieved just days after Brett Fitzpatrick replaced Rod Keogh as coach.
The Pies responded to Fitzpatrick's half-time encouragement to keep "taking the game on" and work hard for each other.
"Our third quarter was fantastic," Fitzpatrick said.
"It was important the boys kept taking the game on and would run and support each other. We did that extremely well."
Hamstring injuries to Jason Cordy and Mathew Pianto, and a kidney injury to Antony Robins meant Castlemaine had no interchange in the final quarter.
Roos' coach Tyrone Downie, who had been held to a goal in three quarters, kicked three in quick succession in the last as the game contest tightened up.
But the Magpies steadied and went on to win 15.8 (98) to 10.12 (72).
Castlemaine ..................... 3.2 4.3 10.7 15.8 (98)
Kangaroo Flat ................... 4.4 6.5 7.10 10.12 (72)
GOALS - Castlemaine: (not supplied). Kangaroo Flat: T. Downie 4, T. Brooks 2, S. Verbeek, M. Hough, J. Keogh, C. Kekich. BEST - Castlemaine: J. Gribben, J. Graham, L. Ford, R. Ford. (details incomplete) Kangaroo Flat: M. Hough, T. Downie, L. Lougoon, S. Verbeek, T. Brooks, N. McNish.
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