Mooroopna keeps ahold of Goulburn Valley A-grade pole position, but faces a nervous wait

Top side Mooroopna experienced more than its share of both on a highly newsworthy day when Dayna Williams and Asha Gray each notched their 50th outings in the blue and white at the top level — but it hardly played out as planned for either one.

Mansfield’s own ambitions had been curtailed some time ago with four wins for the year to date, but the Eagles made the trip from the high country in hope of playing a memorable role yet in the finals race.

Mooroopna was certainly determined to prove that there was only one star on the stage under this picturesque Saturday afternoon sky and went about it emphatically by storming out to a 13-3 lead at the first change.

The ladder-leader did as it pleased in a rampant first half and, despite some more clinical shooting at the second time of asking from the Mansfield goalers, flexed its muscles with a series of turnovers to keep the margin nice and comfortable, taking a 30-12 advantage into the half.

The Eagles, to their credit, ran things out and came into the contest even more as the second half got going, despite facing insurmountable odds on the scoreboard as it was.

Then came arguably the biggest stories of the day, just moments apart as the Cats’ season was plunged into temporary chaos.

First it was ace defender Williams hobbling off after making a contest inside the Mansfield arc, swiftly replaced by 17-and-under Cat Bridie Kelly.

Just a handful of minutes down the track, versatile midcourter Gray was also rendered unable to continue with an ankle concern — and suddenly, result on the day secured or not, Mooroopna looked on shaky ground.

For the next 20 minutes, it was simply about running the game out and keeping things on track the way they had been, and there were no issues in accomplishing that for the home side.

There were lingering concerns after the 63-36 win for Cats coach Di Hanslow, though, and not just related to her star duo’s health.

“To lose both of our girls who played their 50th was certainly not how we wanted to go,” Hanslow said.

“We were able to bring some of our juniors on for a run, but it’s not ideal heading into a tough couple of games.

“We need to clean up our attack; I think we made a few mistakes up front today as we’re probably not sticking to the strategies we’re putting out there.

“I’d like to see us not turn over quite as much in attack.

“They like doing things together, those two, and they both sprained their ankles.”

It is doubtless a relief to Hanslow that the Victorian Netball League having wrapped up means no backing up in midweek for the time being.

With Rochester and Seymour awaiting on the run home, though, the Cats boss sweats on her stars’ healing abilities.

“It would certainly be a very tough game to go into (against Rochester) if we didn’t have both of those girls,” Hanslow said.

“Like any team, you’re only as good as the girls you have on your bench and if we don’t have that depth, we’ll pay for it.

“Our final two matches are both very tough games, but that’s what you need heading into finals; we want the wins, but those types of games will put us in good stead.

“I’m just hopeful that they’ll be there.”

In the interim, the Cats did the necessary job to stave off a hungry Echuca side that was lurking a half-game behind, maintaining that buffer as the Murray Bombers scored win number 13 for the year by knocking over Rochester 56-40.

Knowing the two teams beneath Seymour were meeting one another, the Lions simply had no choice but to take the points at home to Benalla and did just that, prevailing 61-37 to stay a game ahead of whoever would come out on top at Deakin Reserve.

By then, though, they could well have known it was the Shepparton Swans, who kicked off their local derby with United almost 90 minutes before the rest of Saturday’s games — but more importantly, kept their season alive by outclassing the Demons 53-42.