East Perth is just two games adrift of the WAFL’s top five following a hard-fought victory over Perth on Saturday.
The Royals were made to work for its 14.18 (102) to 10.6 (66) victory over the Demons, which puts it hot on the heels of the fifth-placed Peel Thunder with eight games remaining in the home-and-away season.
The home side couldn’t seem to get things going during the opening quarter in front of its adoring fans and trailed Perth by five points after the first change of ends.
But Scott Lycett kick-started a Royals’ resurgence in the second term when he clunked a strong mark 30m from goal and sent his drop punt through the tall sticks.
Lycett’s lead-stealing major was followed by goals to Tom Lamb, who made the most of an up the field free-kick 35m from home, and Simon Tunbridge, who used his strength to swipe aside a Perth defender, collect the ball near the goal line and send his point-blank shot somewhere near Vincent Street.
Just when it looked like the Royals might take a comfortable advantage into the second half, Perth’s Laine Wilkins and Kristian Cary kicked back-to-back goals to reduce the home side’s lead to four points.
Samuel Garstone helped Perth wrestle back the lead early in the penultimate quarter, but Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls nullified the number 43’s major with an imperious drop punt from 40m.
The Demons were gifted an easy goal-square six-pointer moments later courtesy of a 50m free-kick before Will Maginness threw the ball on his right boot and got it spinning the right way to edge East Perth ahead by 10 points with a period to play.
Royals coach Jaymie Graham rolled the dice and threw defensive juggernaut Mitch Brown forward in the final quarter and reaped immediate results for the positional change.
Brown crashed through a pack of four fumbling Demons attempting to rush a behind and soccered the ball through the tall posts less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Jackson Nelson increased East Perth’s lead with a skilful crumb and snap minutes later and when Tom Lamb ran out the back for an easy goal and Malcolm Karpany grubbered through a six-pointer from 15m out the Royals appeared to be home.
Karpany picked up his second goal of the match moments later with a lovely left foot snap and Patrick McGinnity and Mitch Brown capped off an impressive win for the home side with two true set shots.
Xavier Ellis topped the Royals’ disposals tally with 29 touches and Lycett complemented his 27 hit-outs with 26 possessions.
McGinnity had 25 disposals to go with his late goal, while Kane Lucas and Jackson Nelson won the ball 22 and 20 times respectively.
Brant Colledge was much improved with 18 touches, the same count as Irish rookie Paddy Brophy and inside midfielder Corey Adamson.
Defenders Mitch Brown and Tom Cole earned 14 disposals, Eric Mackenzie impacted the contest with his 13 touches, Kurt Mutimer was hard at the ball and won possession 12 times while Malcolm Karpany and Tom Lamb moved the ball on by hand and foot 10 times each.
Simon Tunbridge, who tweaked his ankle midway through the second term, finished with seven touches on top of his lone goal in the second quarter.
