The Southport Sharks produced a stunning final quarter display to defeat Box Hill on Saturday afternoon, silencing their hosts and the Box Hill City Oval crowd with a devastating burst of seven goals to nil.

The onslaught was as impressive as it was unexpected, turning the contest on it’s head and transforming the Sharks’ slender four-point three quarter time advantage into a match-clinching 47-point advantage by the time the period ticked into time on.

The teams were separated by two points at quarter time, deadlocked at 51-apiece at half-time and with just a kick in it at the final change most in attendance and those watching at home would’ve assumed the contest was going down to the wire.

But, in as neat a summation of the game as was possible, Southport seized the momentum when it was in their favour, took their chances and left a wasteful and inefficient Box Hill in their wake.

As if to illustrate that point, when Jasper Scaife kicked the Hawks’ first goal of the final term to trim the deficit to 39-points, the team in brown and gold had generated more scoring shots – 26 to Southport’s 25 – and by the time the final margin was confirmed to be 21-points the hosts had recorded four more shots on goal.

All told Box Hill finished with one more inside 50 and 15 more clearances, but couldn’t convert the former into a score as clinically as the Sharks were able to and failed to turn the latter into the sort of advantage they’d have liked.

Max Ramsden was named the Hawks’ best player on the day for his 12 disposals, eight marks and 4.2. The marking forward was a shining light in the forward 50, booting three of his four goals to half-time in a strong individual display.

Midfielder Sam Butler was the highest ranked Box Hill player on the ground, impressing with 34 possessions, seven marks, seven tackles, 10 clearances and nine inside 50s; and was ably supported in the engine room by Henry Hustwaite’s 31 touches, 10 clearances, eight tackles and one goal.

Trent Bianco finished with 19 touches for the day, giving his side a steady hand behind the ball and drive out of half-back, while ruckman Ned Reeves competed from first siren to last to win 37 hit-outs and five clearances from 13 touches and five marks.

Last among the Hawks’ named best was backman Jai Serong, who was deployed in a variety of roles as the day unfolded and battled manfully all afternoon to compile 23 disposals and take eight marks.

Josh Weddle sat out the first half as he makes his return from injury. On managed minutes thereafter, the Hawthorn star was aggressive with ball in hand, keen to showcase his trademark run & carry and finished with 12 touches and four marks. 

Box Hill got the jump on Southport when the contest got underway, booting the first two goals and having the first four scoring shots of the afternoon through 10 minutes.

Max Ramsden and Cody Anderson – who sat out the second half with a nasty cork – saw shots sail over the goal umpire’s hat, before the Sharks’ Hugh Dixon got his side on the board.

Zac Foot followed that effort up a short time later, only for Jake Arundell to give the Hawks back the lead barely two minutes thereafter.

Boyd Woodcock and Jackson Edwards kicked back-to-back majors in time on to hand Southport the initiative, only for Box Hill to continue their siege on the Sharks’ goal. Sadly, as would become a theme, chances were created but not taken.

The hosts’ first quarter return of 3.7 was unders given their bright start and dominance.

Sam Frost and Ramsden bobbed up early in the second term to kick vital goals, with the Hawks kicking four of the first five of frame all told to edge away to a 16-point lead.

A Max Pescud major was followed by Ramsden’s third and a superb solo effort from livewire small forward Matt Hill – and, finally, Box Hill were starting to see some reward for their better play.

But, again, the visitors rallied.

Brock Aston, Pescud and Edwards kicked goals as the quarter came to a close, with their late surge tying the scores away at 51-apiece at the half.

The teams traded behinds when play resumed, only for Brayden Crossley to nab the first of the second half after eight minutes.

Hill returned serve with a second stunner of the afternoon to draw the Hawks to within a single point, before Wylie Buzza kicked the first of three goals in the second half to wrestle back momentum for the visitors.

Henry Hustwaite kicked a beauty to hand his side a slender advantage, but efforts to find a consolidating goal came up empty handed.

When Southport’s Jack Sexton kicked his first he ensured the Sharks had a lead to defend in the last quarter.

With four points in it at the last change both sides would’ve fancied their chances of winning a final quarter arm wrestle.

Buzza kicked his second after a minute and the Sharks didn’t look back.

Woodcock, Josh Gore, Hewago Oea and Keegan Gray (2) kicked goals after six, eight, 10, 13 and 17 minutes to blow the game apart.

By the time Gray’s second had sailed through Southport had kicked 6.2 to 0.0 and lead by 42-points. 

Buzza’s third put an exclamation point on a stunning 20-minute run and with the term having ticked into time on the visitors advantage was 47-points.

Box Hill played the game out to the final siren, with Jasper Scaife, Ramsden, Will McCabe and Kye Declase all hitting the scoreboard in the final eight minutes. 

In the wash-up the 21-point final margin felt somewhat flattering, while the final quarter onslaught felt somewhat at odds with the hard-fought, nail-biting nature of the contest as whole.

Having won the right of a double chance, Box Hill return to action next week. The Hawks will host Brisbane in a do-or-die Semi Final on Saturday, with final timings set to be confirmed on Monday.

Best: Ramsden, Butler, Hustwaite, Bianco, Reeves, Serong

Goals: Ramsden 4, Hill 2, Scaife, McCabe, Hustwaite, Frost, Declase, Arundell, Anderson

Disposals: Butler 34, Hustwaite 31, Serong 23, Mitchell 20, Mackenzie 20, Bianco 19

Image by Bernie Wright.