Walyalup has come away with the four points over Euro-Yroke in Saturday’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round contest at Marvel Stadium, wrestling its way on top of the dour, low-scoring affair by 17 points.

The Saints trailed by single figures at quarter-time and half-time before levelling the scores at the final change — with some assistance from Walyalup’s 1.5 in a wayward third term — before the Dockers hit the sticks when it mattered most to bank win 8.7 (55) to 9.18 (72).

Symptomatic of both side’s unsynchronised offensives, Euro-Yroke and Walyalup combined for just 17 majors for the evening, and despite never being out of the contest, the Saints couldn’t find the zip in the final moments to assert control.

Saturday’s result moves the Saints to 3-7 with wins coming against Collingwood, Richmond and North Melbourne, while Walyalup skips into the top-eight, albeit potentially for just tonight depending on the result tomorrow between Hawthorn and Yartapuulti.

Jordan Clark (29 disposals) was immense for the visitors in tandem with Luke Ryan (27 disposals, 13 marks) and Luke Jackson (40 hit-outs, 25 disposals) in the defence and ruck respectively, while Rowan Marshall was again superb in the middle to chart 31 touches, 38 hit-outs and eight clearances for his side as Mitch Owens jagged three majors and Ben Paton played a solid hand as a defensive forward.

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Despite Marshall's ascendancy, the Saints were outplayed at clearances 34-49, with Walyalup's strength at stoppage led by Jackson (10) and Serong (nine) were vital in the final outcome as the home team's forward half came fell away. 

In a banal and dry opening half peppered with brilliant highlights, a crafty Paddy Dow dribbler from the pocket in the first term finally ignited the contest. Walyalup kicked the next three to regain control in the most prolific scoreboard burst of the night, however opportunities were scarce from that point on.

It may not have been the full “sizzle” Ross Lyon and the Saints were on the hunt to rekindle, but there were certainly flickers through the pep of club debutant Dow and aerial work of Owens (three goals) and back-to-back blitz from Anthony Caminiti (two) never put the game out of reach.

Jimmy Webster and Michael Frederick — both with eyes for the footy — were involved in a bruising midair collision early in the piece, with latter coming off second best, the stretcher called out and then waved off as Frederick jogged off the field before being subbed minutes later.

Frederick’s substitution didn’t help with the forward line woes, with key forward Jye Amiss and Jaeger O'Meara the only multiple goalscorers for the visitors. Conversely, Owens and Caminiti stepped up in the absence of Tim Membrey (managed), booting five majors between them; Owens’ trio all coming before half-time.

Walyalup only broke clear in the final minutes of the game with a late pair to O’Meara, yet found itself having to stave off a gradually building opposition brigade.

Marshall, streaming back to the opposition goal line, got a fingertip on the ball to deny a Jeremy Sharp major upon review at the 20-minute mark of the final quarter in a commendable act of desperation, however a critical turnover in defence seconds later from the kick-in allowed Josh Treacy to capitalise and subsequently put the Saints away.

EURO-YROKE  2.0  5.3  7.5  8.7 (55)
WALYALUP  3.2  5.6  6.11  9.18 (72)

GOALS
Euro-Yroke: Owens 3, Caminiti 2, Dow, Henry, Phillipou
Walyalup: Amiss 2, O’Meara 2, Voss, Sharp, Johnson, Banfield, 

BEST
Euro-Yroke: Marshall, Sinclair, Hill, Owens, Paton, Wanganeen-Milera, Battle
Walyalup: Clark, Ryan, Jackson, Serong, Young, Brayshaw

INJURIES
Euro-Yroke: Nil
Walyalup: Frederick (concussion)

SUBSTITUES
Euro-Yroke: Zak Jones replaced Cooper Sharman in the third term (tactical)
Walyalup: Tom Emmet replaced Michael Frederick in the first term (concussion)

CROWD
19,265 at Marvel Stadium