Heading into the clash against Euroa at Euroa Memorial Oval on July 18, the visitors had reason to be optimistic of claiming a win on the road, having beaten the Magpies earlier in the year and sitting level on points in the standings at the start of play.
Despite showing strong form over the past month in particular, the Saints had been unable to get across the line in a number of close encounters, and while they delivered another compelling contest on Saturday, they were unable to come up trumps, beaten 9.11 (65) to Euroa’s 14.13 (97).
The first quarter proved to be a fraught battle for the ascendancy, with the Magpies notching the opening strike of the day via Mitchell Walters - before the Saints issued an instant response.
Mark Marriott and Michael Mummery hit the scoreboard to fire Benalla into a slender lead but this appeared to simply light the touch paper in the Euroa ranks as Magpies captain Jett Trotter led the way by booting a goal a minute later.
From there, the home side locked in, as Jack McKernan and Cohen Paul added strikes of their own to wrest back the lead after Tom Riley had sent the Saints in front, with Benalla entering the quarter time huddle six points in arrears.
A run of three straight majors to start the second term - making it five unanswered for the match - saw Euroa establish a firm grip on the contest, leading by a game-high 25 points, though back to back majors in reply from Nick Mellington and Riley cut the Saints’ deficit back to 12 points.
A late Magpie major ensured the pendulum had very much swung the way of Euroa heading into half-time, though, with the visitors trailing 5.6 (36) to 8.4 (52), and Benalla’s charges would have been all too aware of the need for a strong third quarter showing to have any chance of preventing an onslaught.
But the Saints would be hit by a Euroa onslaught to start the second half, booting two goals either side of a Mummery major to push the margin to a game-high 38 points, and while Ryley Ely kept the visitors in it at the final break, Benalla faced an uphill battle, trailing by 34 points with a quarter to play.
The fourth term proved a more even affair than the previous three, as Saints Hamish Willett and Sam Begley registered strikes for the visitors, though they were replied to each time as Euroa maintained the advantage to win by an eventual 32 points.
Young gun Ely was named Benalla’s best in the loss, finishing with a goal, while the evergreen James Martiniello joined Marriott (one goal), Begley (one goal) and skipper Chris Welsh in rounding out the most influential.
In front of the sticks, it was Mummery and Riley who proved the most effective during what proved to be a tough day at the office for the Saints, each booting two majors.
Benalla will be aiming to stop the rot this weekend as they return to Benalla Showgrounds to host Mansfield, having beaten the Eagles away from home earlier this season.
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