PORTLAND’S slim chances of seizing fifth place have been thrown a lifeline as the eighth-placed club held off a desperate Cobden to split the points in a draw.
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In a game typified by momentum swings, Portland couldn’t capitalise on their opportunities but managed to hold off a surge from Cobden on Saturday.
Still locked on 20 points after the upset draw, Tigers’ mentor Michelle Finck conceded while finals were unlikely, the club would press on in an effort to keep the mathematical hope alive.
She said the club had improved out of sight since an out-of-form patch early on in the season.
“We probably underperformed in the first half of the season, but in the last couple of weeks we’ve picked up our form and that is credit to the players’ attention to training,” she said.
“Finals at the end of the day are still in the back of my mind but we aren’t worried. We can only control what we do. Hopefully some of the girls continue to get up a bit of form and confidence.”
The game marked the second time this season in which the Tigers’ have shared the points, after they drew with Koroit midway through last month.
They will now be forced to emerge with three victories from their remaining three games against Terang Mortlake, Port Fairy and Koroit if they are any chance of September action.
Finck was pleased with her side’s output and performance but said missed opportunities hurt the side late in the piece.
“We had chances in the last quarter that we could have put them away with, but they stuck with us and as a result the scoreline was the way it was,” she said.
In other results, the Hamilton Kangaroos produced one of the performances of the year to down Warrnambool at Reid Oval.
The ninth-placed Kangaroos put on a 15-goal final term to overcome the Blues by three goals at the final whistle.
Port Fairy has continued its dominance near the top of the Hampden netball ladder, stretching its lead on third-placed Koroit to six points with a commanding 18-goal win over South Warrnambool.
The Seagulls used a dominant third quarter to pull away after leading by just seven at the main break.
However, South Warrnambool coach Moira Thornton said the Roosters’ faithful could take plenty of positives from the clash.
“We were right in the game up until half time. I said to the girls that Port Fairy will up their intensity as they had to shake us off and they did,” she said.
“It’s been really good and frustrating to know we can push teams like Port Fairy that far. Teams know they have to bring their best netball to play us and that we won’t be an easybeat.
