LBU in must-win clash with Mounts

REIGNING premier Mount Pleasant must win Saturday’s showdown with Mount Pleasant to stay in the race for the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy premiership.

The LBU Cats make their way to Toolleen for the big round final round clash and it’s also a showdown of last season’s grand finalists.

A six-goal win at Elmore last round put LBU’s win-loss tally at eight and seven.

Fifth-placed Leitchville-Gunbower which marked an 11-point win against Colbinabbin at Gunbower has the bye this round.

Math for the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU is not complicated.

Beat the Blues and LBU’s season rolls on to an elimination final. Defeat and the Cats’ season is done.

In round nine, LBU beat Mount Pleasant by eight points at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.

Two other matches will have a major say on who claims top spot and a rest in the first week of the final’s series.

Heathcote and North Bendigo are first and second in the premiership race with both on a 12-3 record, but the Saints are 1.46 per cent clear of the Bulldogs.

On Saturday, Heathcote makes it way to Huntly’s Strauch Reserve to take on the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.

The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote is also on the rebound from a six-goal loss to North Bendigo, which was the Saints’ first on home turf at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve this season.

Previous showdown between Huntly and Heathcote ended in an 80-point win for the Saints.

North Bendigo is back on home turf at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street to take on Elmore.

The Bulldogs won the round nine match at Elmore by 26 points.

It’s the final hit-out of the season for Colbinabbin against White Hills at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.

The Jed Brain-coached Grasshoppers showed in last Saturday’s match at Gunbower they can be a tough opponent.

Jointly coached by Jack Fallon and Jake Pallpratt, White Hills has locked in a qualifying final berth.

The Shannon Keam-coached Leitchville Gunbower which fought back from a 0-4 start to be 9-7 has the bye.

The Bombers will be sweating on a Mount Pleasant win against the LBU Cats.