Geelong keep finals dream alive after beating Lions

A CONSISTENT performance with both bat and ball has seen Geelong’s Premier Men’s Firsts beat Fitzroy Doncaster to remain in the finals hunt.

In a two-day home clash split across last weekend, the Cats won by a single wicket and moved up to 11th spot with three matches to play.

After being sent in to bat first, the Lions faced some early trouble but steadied to finish all out for 251 after 80 overs.

Thomas Neate took three wickets for the Cats, Nathan Harper and Josh Garner added two each and captain Joshua Larkin, Zane Attard and Lincoln Koliba all took one apiece in a well-spread attack.

Set a target score of 252, the Cats went in to bat and struggled early, sitting at 4-80 as Liam Blackford was dismissed.

A crucial 76 runs from Josh Larkin and an unbeaten 62 by Eamonn Vines saw them hang on to secure a gutsy win.

Geelong will host 14th-placed Dandenong across the next two weekends and will take plenty of momentum and confidence into the clash following their efforts against the Lions.

A win could only see them move up one spot, but this would put them into the finals picture as the pointy end of the season approaches.

The Seconds also enjoyed a tight victory that places them in sixth spot, whilst the Thirds and Fourths both went down.