Hosting the Murray Bombers at Benalla Showgrounds on Saturday, the Saints suffered defeat by less than three goals for the third consecutive outing, mounting a strong final term comeback but coming up 11 points short to eventually go down 9.10 (64) to 11.9 (75).
The Saints were right in the hunt from the opening bounce on Saturday, and the intent bore fruit on the scoreboard early, as ruckman Mark Marriott and forward Michael Mummery kicked the opening two goals of the contest, and the only goals of the first term, to hand Benalla a 2.3 (15) to 0.4 (4) lead entering the huddle at quarter time.
Tom Riley, who has kicked goals in all bar one game since being recalled to the senior side in round six, soon found himself on the score sheet again, booting the opening major of the second term too as Benalla opened up a 17-point advantage.
But the Murray Bombers find themselves at the pointy end of the ladder for a reason, having lost just once so far this season, and hit back hard, kicking their opening goal of the contest to cut the margin back to 10 points, before adding another four unanswered goals in the blink of an eye to establish a 13-point margin of their own.
Skipper Chris Welsh stood up and found a steadier for the Saints just before the half time break, however, ensuring Benalla went into the rooms just seven points behind, a solid return for what had been a hard fought first half.
Echuca, however, are relentless, and emerging from the rooms in the third term, put the Saints to the sword.
With the first three goals of the second half, the Murray Bombers skipped out to a game-high 24-point lead, and while Mummery booted his second to keep Benalla within three straight kicks, the visitors added the final goal before three-quarter time, too, reinstating the four-goal margin with a term to play.
Coach Nick Pearson rallied the troops with his final address, though, and despite falling 30 points behind after giving up the first goal of the fourth term, trailing 37-67, the Saints launched a vicious attack of their own.
Nick Mellington kick-started the fightback, booting his first of the afternoon to cut the deficit back under four goals, before young gun Cooper Gracie made it consecutive Benalla goals for the first time since the opening major of the second term soon after, and Echuca’s lead was once again back to 18 points.
With newfound momentum, Benalla proved relentless, with Marriott capitalising to snag his second of the contest, and immediately following up with his third, as remarkably Benalla closed to within six points of the lead, despite trailing by five goals in the early stages of the final term.
The Saints continued to threaten, too, with two further shots on goal resulting in behinds to take the home side to 64-68 behind, and it looked as though Benalla was going to run right over the top of Echuca.
A goal either way would decide the outcome as the clock wound down, and it was Echuca that found it, plus another behind, to push the margin out to 11 points in the dying stages, denying a brave Benalla what would have been a brilliant victory.
Marriott and Mellington led the way for the Saints in the loss, Marriott with a game-high three goals, while veteran James Martiniello and Henry Hill were also influential, ever-reliable defender Nick Warnock rounded out the best, and Mummery finished the afternoon with two goals as the only other multiple goal kicker.
A competitive three weeks has seen the Saints lose by 17 and 18 points against Kyabram and Mooroopna, respectively, prior to the 11-point defeat against Echuca on Saturday, and they will be looking to round out the month of football with a win against Seymour this Saturday when they meet on the road at Kings Park.
