The Power are headed into the second week of the finals after a brilliant come-from-behind 27-25 win over Merrivale yesterday.

On the Tigers home court and trailing 9-2 at quarter-time, the Power’s brave run to grab the last finals place on offer looked like being the full stop to their season.

By half-time they had crept a little closer at 16-11 but at the final change of ends it was still five goals the Tigers’ way, 23-18.

Few of the big crowd looking on would have predicted what was about to happen as the Power took their game to another level.

Kolora-Noorat shot the first two goals of the quarter to reduce the gap but the experienced Tigers steadied, putting through two of the next three to ease out to a four-point lead.

Slowly though the game began to turn and it was the Power who were now in control, shooting the next four goals to even the scores at 25 apiece.

With just two minutes remaining the Tigers called an injury time-out for Danielle McInerney to have treatment on a leg.

When play resumed Power goal shooter Eliza Smith, in her first A grade game of the season, landed the ball in the net to give her team the lead.

The Tigers then headed forward looking for the equalizer before a brilliant intercept from wing defence Laura Bourke thwarted the attack and got the ball back in the  hands of goal attack Linda Clifford, who shot the final goal of the game to give her team a thrilling victory.

Kolora-Noorat coach Glenice Justin said it was a fantastic effort from her team.

“We started slowly but once we settled I thought if we made the most of our chances we were still in it,” Justin said.

“We made a couple of little surges and I knew the girls would keep fighting and it was a great effort in the end.”

The win came without star goal shooter Penny Smith who was overseas but will be back this week.

Merrivale coach Tania Ross said her team had come out on the wrong end of a tough finals game.

“Our girls battled really hard. We controlled the game early but they got a run-on late and were able to convert their chances,” Ross said.

“It was an interesting season. Our first half was below par while the second half was really good.” 

The win sets up an intriguing first semi-final clash for Kolora-Noorat against Panmure on Sunday with the Bulldogs among the victims of the Power’s late-season surge to the finals. The Power defeated the Bulldogs 48-43 in the final home-and-away game.