Coming up against last year’s premier Shepparton East, United knew it would have to be at its best to topple the imposing Eagles.
The match was tight, with the defenders on both teams shining.
Shepparton East was playing for second spot on the Kyabram District League ladder.
For Dookie, if it claimed the win, it would effectively secure a spot in finals with two rounds to go.
The match came down to the wire, however, it was the home side Dookie that took the chocolates.
United won by one goal in a nail-biter 37-36.
Dookie United coach Laura Henderson said she was impressed with how her defence held up against the Eagles’ attack.
“It was a defenders game,” Henderson said.
“Georgia Caruana, Georgie O’Connor were a couple of our midcourt defenders and they stood up strong.”
Heading into the match, Dookie knew the Eagles’ strength, given that they had lost to them earlier in the year.
Henderson said Saturday’s win over the Eagles felt like a bonus four points that added some security to Dookie’s season.
“We weren’t too confident with the Shepp East game,” she said.
“We hadn’t included those four points in, but now that we have got those four points, these next two games we should have comfortable wins and should see us secure either fourth or fifth (spot) for finals.
“But we can’t take any of these games lightly because they will be tough.”
Two rounds left in the season for Dookie, with matches against Undera (12th on the ladder) and Tallygaroopna (ninth).
Secure those two wins and United will be poised to be a serious threat in the upcoming finals series.
Henderson said her side would use the last couple of weeks to develop its best combinations.
“(We are) still trying to find our balance on the court,” she said.
“We have been trialling a few different combinations with our goalers in defence and our defenders in goals.
“We are trying to refine those combos to find out what our match-ups will be coming through finals.
“Lancaster and Girgarre have got some really tall goalers, so working on what combinations are going to work on those days (if we play them).
“We are playing with these combinations in these last two games to see what options we have available to us come finals.”
In other round 14 matches, seventh-placed Violet Town secured a crucial three-goal win over Tallygaroopna.
Nagambie caused a big upset after winning its match against top-of-the-table Lancaster.
It was the Wombats’ first loss of the season, with Nagambie claiming the win by two goals.
Stanhope defeated Murchison-Toolamba by nine goals away from home.
Avenel has secured a tight five-goal victory over Merrigum.
Second-placed Girgarre has put Rushworth to the sword, defeating the Tigers by 48 goals.
Meanwhile, Longwood has defeated Undera by 11 goals.
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