:: Reserves Report - By ‘The Red Leg’.
Dear God,

We seek your forgiveness for all our on-field sins and ask for your help in getting us into the finals this year. We have repented for our mid-season foolishness and need you to guide us to September. Just as you sacrificed your only son for the good of the world, can you please do likewise to your followers at Marcellin. Bless St Bedes with the power and strength to play well and beat Marcellin this week, then strip them of that same might in the finals. Amen.

That was the prayer all Magoos players delivered at a special Sunday mass urgently convened after the OMs defeated Uni Blacks on Saturday.

Just seven days after experiencing the bitter taste of defeat against St Bedes, the OMs tasted nectar in the form of victory against a premiership rival.

In conditions which made T-Bone still think he was in the Greek Islands, the OMs delivered one of their best performances of the year.

"It was hot," T-Bone said to Mitch, who did not play not because he is about to go on holiday but because he is suspected of suffering horse flu. "But I bet you won’t be as brown as me when you get back Mitch."

Mitch, not one to turn his back on a wager, accepted then proceeded to wash all sunscreen off his body before relieving Jenks of the boundary umpiring duties in the second half.

The OMs began like a team possessed. Phil Grundy and Simon Theodore dominated in the centre while Gussy Waddell and Cheesecake controlled the forward 50.

Cheese finished with six sausage rolls to continue his late-season hot form.

"I just hope I carry that form through to a Saturday night," Cheese confided to Hawk after the game. "I want to be a pants man like you. Next time we go out, can you tell the ones you don’t like that I’m the leading goalkicker?"

Hawk nodded, though it could have been a nervous twitch so high was the tension at half time. We led by 11 points but would we let the opposition back in it like we did the week before against St Bedes?

That looked to be the case when Blacks mounted their charge early in the third. But good pressure across the middle stopped them from hurting us where it counted - on the scoreboard.

"That’s my boys out there. They’re making me proud," Jenks told the lady preparing Uni Blacks’ A-grade half-time spread. "Do you mind if I take a couple of mini quiches out?"

Blacks, unlike St Bedes last week, could not string together goals in a hurry and we ran out winners by 34 points.

Unfortunately, Marcellin belted Old Essendon which means we are still a game out of the four. To make the finals, we need to beat Ajax enough to lift our percentage from 127.04 to 128.83 and hope for St Bedes to defeat Marcellin.

Start your praying!

Thanks to Jozza for his goal umpiring, Jenks and Mitch for running the boundary, Matty Lovejoy and his buddy for running water and Erwin for running out Carts and Lovey’s words of wisdom.

Tags: A. Ray, A. Waddell, A. Wu, G. Tsiotras, L. Hopkins, P. Grundy, Uni Blacks