AFTER a tough and taxing grand final, the Horsham Demons found a way to win in order to defeat Minyip-Murtoa.
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The Demons never trailed but the 7.19 (61) to 5.7 (37) win was in no way one-sided.
Horsham coach Louie Dalziel said he was pinching himself after the win.
“It wasn’t easy for either side out there,” he said.“Even with the way it was in the last quarter, some of our play to transition the ball down to the other end of the ground was super. Like I’ve been talking about all year, it was our run and our ball use that was going to get us over the line.”
The hot and windy conditions at Dimboola were testing for both sides at different times.
Horsham had first use of the breeze after captain Rhona Conboy won the toss and decided to kick away from the clubroom end of the ground.
First-quarter goals to Brad Hartigan, Ryan Kemp, Joel Geue and Josh Mibus had set up a 30-point quarter-time lead for the Demons. The side could have been even further in front but for problems with inaccuracy which have plagued the side earlier in the season.
Minyip-Murtoa clambered back into the contest in the second quarter as Matt Coleman, Clint Midgley and Jae McGrath kicked truly. When Horsham led by six points at half-time, no goals had been scored toward the clubroom end of the ground.
That changed three minutes into the third when Nicholas Kelson managed to draw the scores level. It stood as an anomaly as Horsham continued to maintain a territorial advantage but could not put a score on the board.
Scores remained level for 20 more minutes before the Demons started to pepper the goal front. Six behinds before the three-quarter-time siren meant the margin remained the same as it had been at half-time.
Minyip-Murtoa entered the last quarter confident with the wind at its back but Horsham was the more determined side.
Deek Roberts started to bob up more often in the final quarter before Tyler Blake made things difficult for the Burras with the first goal of the quarter.
Jack Mentha put Horsham in front by 21 points with 14 minutes gone in the final quarter before another Blake goal sealed the a 26th senior Wimmera Football League premiership for Horsham.