A Grade Millicent carved its name into Western Border Football League history on Saturday as the Saints marched into their fourth premiership in six years and their third in a row with a win over North Gambier in the grand final at Blue Lake Sports Park.
The match started off slowly on the scoreboard with both sides’ defences doing their job well.
Eventually a Millicent miskick out of defence fell right in the lap of North Gambier youngster Mackye Baron.
Baron had no problems with nerves and went back to slot the goal.
North Gambier finished the quarter in front early with 12 (2.0) to Millicent’s 8 (1.2).
The second quarter was a close-fought contest with both sides missing out on chances, Sam Willis was the only goal scorer for the quarter as he took Millicent in front before half time.
Millicent finished the first half (2.4) 16 to North Gambier (2.1) 13 and the match looked as if it would go right down to the wire.
Millicent got a leg up in the third quarter as it extended the lead to 10 points.
Going into the final quarter everything was on the line for the two sides as both gave everything they had left in hopes of getting the win.
North Gambier required the first goal if it was to get over the line, however after the ball went back and forth Kobe Gibson got a set shot close to the boundary line for Millicent.
Gibson then slotted the goal to extend his side’s lead to 16 points and all but wrapped up the match.
The ball spent a majority of the time in Millicent’s half with North Gambier’s defence working overtime to keep the side in the match.
Millicent missed opportunities to extend its lead further keeping the Tigers hopeful.
Sam Stafford slotted a set shot from fifty to give North Gambier some hope but time ran out, and the Saints claimed their third premiership in a row ending the match Millicent 5.10 (40) to North Gambier’s (4.3) 27.
Millicent coach Clint Gallio was delighted with his team’s performance to take home the three-peat.
“That’s why you play footy to win grand finals and we have been lucky enough and worked hard enough to win three in a row now, it’s a pretty special feeling,” Gallio said.
Millicent was excellent in the conditions and Gallio was pleased with how his team held on in the end against a fighting North Gambier side.
“The wind was definitely a factor but both teams had to struggle, and it came down to the last quarter and we controlled the footy quite well, but credit to them they just kept coming and coming, but I think our legs and ball use got us over the line,” he said.
Millicent now sits as a dominant side in recent Western Border history and will look to continue its dominance next season no matter what league it plays in.
