Tongala and Echuca United have played out a thrilling Murray Football League encounter at Tongala Recreation Reserve and a single kick could have decided the game either way.

Both sides were desperate to score the win, which would keep their faint finals hopes alive, but it was the Blues who hung on for the valuable four points.

United would have felt it was in control of the game after a second quarter where Tongala went scoreless.

At the other end, the Eagles piled on six goals to lead 7.6 (48) to 2.3 (15) at the main break.

It was Echuca United that stalled coming out of the half as the Blues rallied, kicking five unanswered goals in the third period.

Leading by two points, the Eagles found the game slipping away from them after Tonny kicked the first three majors of the final period, but United matched the host with three of its own to get back on top by a single point.

Matthew Caia gave the Blues the ascendancy with what would be the final major of the day and despite a desperate Eagles attack down the stretch, a single behind in the dying seconds was all they could add to the final score.

“We were getting beaten in the centre, the first half we were second to the ball,” Tongala coach Stephen Hammond said.

“I kept the same line-up into the third quarter and just had faith in the boys and gave them the opportunity to turn it around themselves, which they did.

“It was unreal by the boys, the fightback they did.”

Sam Cipriani would distinguish himself as the Blues’ scoring leader with three goals, while the remaining eight majors were shared around.

Oliver Poole (3) and Dylan Friedberger (2) kicked multiple goals for the Eagles.

Tongala, at 5-9, remains mathematically in with a chance to push up the ladder in the final four rounds, only trailing sixth place by a single win.

However, the road to get there looks incredibly difficult, as an unfavourable draw has the Blues play each of the league's current top four in succession to close out their season.

“We’re always hoping to win, of course,” Hammond said.

“The next two weeks, if we can play our best footy, we might be able to push Cobram and Moama.

“If the boys get in first, we might be able to upset someone in the last four rounds.”

Initially high on his side’s prospects headed into the season, Hammond says injuries and missed opportunities had derailed Tongala’s attempt to return to the finals picture.

“I was disappointed more than a month or so ago, but sitting back and seeing what our list is, I’ve mellowed a bit to go ‘well, we’re actually not doing too bad for the cattle that are missing’,” Hammond said.

“Give credit where credit’s due, the boys are having a go, which is good.

“If we’d kicked more accurately this season, we’d have another four wins on the board.

“I’m not saying we’re good enough to be in the top four, but we might have been pushing for sixth.”

The Blues host Cobram this weekend and, though the Tigers boast twice as many wins over 2025, it was Hammond’s side that prevailed when the sides first met in round two.

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Tuesday, 1st August 2023

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