IN a grand final that not many will soon forget, Heywood’s under-14 side has claimed the Greater South West Junior Football League premiership by just one point at Hanlon Park on Saturday, with the final score 4.12 (36) to 5.5 (35).

The Lions looked every bit the favourites early in the contest, as they peppered the goals early.

However, they weren’t able to capitalise on some intercept marks along with good stoppage play inside their forward 50, left to rue some difficult but gettable shots on goal.

Heathmere took their chances when they came, with Charlie Arnold producing a snap around the body to open his side’s goal tally on the stroke of quarter time.

Everything seemed to be working for the Meres in the first half, as once again on the stroke of the siren Artie Harvey, who had been at his dominant best, set sail for home on the run from near the 50-metre arc.

As a result, an underdog Meres outfit went into the second half nine points to the good.

However, the momentum swings were far from over, as the Lions showed the class and strength which had seen them rattle off an unbeaten season to this point.

Their second goal of the game came via a hard-ball won in a congested stoppage, with Flyn Holmes able to emerge with the ball before selflessly flicking it to Lauchlon Saunders who finished the job.

Heywood co-captain Jensen Moore, who would later be crowned best afield, showcased his athleticism shortly thereafter, bolting away from a pack on the forward flank with ball in hand and slotting it through for a goal.

If the Meres group was rattled, they didn’t show it in their play during the fourth quarter, as they pushed and pushed to find a pair of goals which would help them hit the lead.

And when Elliot Munday dribbled through his second for the day, before Chad Daniel found the mark moments later, all of a sudden, the underdog Meres were up by five points.

But there was another twist in this tale yet to come, as the Meres were able to rush through a behind to give them a six-point advantage, before Moore’s snap at goal thumped into the post at the other end.

But then the unthinkable happened, as a miscue from the Meres opened the gate for Archie Malseed to pounce before slotting a goal from 25 metres out close to the boundary line.

The Lions now had a one-point advantage with just two minutes remaining, and while the Meres scrambled to win the ball at every ensuing stoppage, they weren’t able to push it into a dangerous position before time elapsed.

Heywood coach Jamie Mathys said after the game that such a close contest was to be expected given the calibre of the two sides.

“These were the best two sides all year playing off, which is what grand finals are all about… but one point is a little bit close,” Mathys said.

“Each break we just took it back to basics and went quarter by quarter… wipe the scoreboard clear, and that was the message at three-quarter time, if we win this quarter, we win the game.

“The group’s come a really long way since the start of the season… we always knew we had the group to go all the way, but it was still a process of teaching the players to take pride in the jumper and to trust in the guys and girls alongside them.

“Two or three times this year we’ve been down in the final moments and been able to get over the line… they know how to win the game.

“It’s the second time young Archie has (kicked a winning goal) this season.”

Heathmere can hold their heads high after what is admittedly a tough way to finish their season, having almost upset the premiership favourites before falling short in the dying moments.

But for a club whose senior football is on the rebuild, and whose under-14s last year managed to finish in just sixth-place and did not play finals, this result is a major step forward.