Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 16 September 1985, page 24


Southport grabs narrow

win in final seconds

BRISBANE: Southport's Glen Middlcmiss snatched a three-point victory from Maync 68 seconds from the final hooter in yesterday's Queensland Australian Football League grand final at Windsor Park.

Middlcmiss' last minute sixpointer lifted the Gold Coast side to an exciting 11.8(74) to 10.11(71)

win.

Maync had battled back from a 12point deficit at the three-quarter mark to take the lead for the first time in the match 10 minutes from fulltime.

Trailing 6.7 (43) to Southport's 10.6(66) going into the fourth quarter, Mayne looked to be out of the

match.

But a four-goal haul in 20 minutes of the quarter swung the scales in Mayne's favour.

An upset win looked to be the order

of the day, until Middlemiss took the crucial mark in front of goal.

After a low-scoring first quarter with only three goals between the two sides, Southport took the initiative and potted five goals to race to a healthy 7.3 (45) to 3.4 (22) lead.

Both sides added the same tally with three goals and three behinds in the third quarter, leaving Mayne a mammoth task to make up the difference.

Southport coach Norm Dare described the losers' effort as magnifi

cent.

"I'm sorry there had to be a loser," he said.

"We've got the Cup, but Mayne shouldn't feel too down-hearted.

"They played a magnificent part in a magnificent game that can only do the code the world of good."