THE Casey Scorpions entered Sunday’s clash with Box Hill with an outside chance of snatching a top-four spot. 

But an agonising one-point loss – after Ben MacReadie had given the Scorpions the lead at the 21-minute mark – saw Casey finish sixth and it now faces Collingwood in an elimination final this weekend.

By Marc McGowan- Star News

MacReadie’s major was the last of five in a row for the Scorpions to start the final term, but Sam Iles goaled in the dying stages to get Box Hill over the line at Box Hill City Oval. 

Casey went forward several times after Iles’ major, including when the umpire overturned a Scorpions mark inside 50m, but was unable to score the match-winner like the previous week. 

Defender Peter Faulks kicked a booming goal from the middle of the ground to win the game for Casey against Williamstown in round 19. 

The Scorpions have lost six games by 16 points or less, including four by under a goal, this season, while the fifth-placed Hawks’ victory was their fifth on the trot. 

Casey coach Peter German remained upbeat despite the narrow defeat. “If Box Hill is in really good form then we must be in reasonable form to only lose by a point,” he said.

 “We put ourselves in a situation again when we hit the front, but we continue at times to make errors that let sides back in. “Box Hill was pretty good and we were able to derail a bit of their ball movement and the way they play, which gave us an opportunity, but we’ve got to keep working on parts of our game.”

 MacReadie (35 disposals) starred for the second straight week in a consummate midfielder’s game, while skipper Kyle Matthews (30) and backmen James Wall (31), Evan Panozza (23) and Glenn Chivers (20 and eight tackles) also worked hard. 

German was particularly chuffed with MacReadie’s effort. “He’s had a good year. He’s had a few ups and downs, but he’s just generally understanding the work-rate required of a midfielder now,” German said.

 “He’s gone from strength to strength in the last three or four weeks in really being able to cover some good ground.” 

The Scorpions started well, but the Hawks put on the afterburners midway through the first quarter to finish with a five-goal-to-two term and a 17-point advantage.

 Debutant Scott Virtue, Casey’s 23rd first-gamer this year, was knocked out in the opening minutes in a clash with Box Hill’s Brendan Whitecross and took no further part. 

The Scorpions’ turn with the breeze produced four majors and cut the difference to eight at the long break, but Box Hill looked well in charge 25 points up at three-quarter-time. 

An inspired Casey roared back with five unanswered goals to hit the front by three points, but the Hawks’ only major for the term was enough to hold the Scorpions off. 

Casey locks horns with the Magpies at Port Melbourne’s TEAC Oval on Saturday in the ABC-broadcast match from 1.10pm.

VFLSeniors: Box Hill Hawks 13.12 (90) d Casey Scorpions 14.5 (89). Goals: Box Hill:  Lisle 5, Williams 3, Iles, Fagan, Taylor, Curnow, Suckling. Casey: Waite, McGough, Silvagni, Taylor 2, Smith, MacReadie, Matthews, Chivers, Martin, Liddle. Best: Box Hill: Lisle, Williams, Markovic, Whitecross, Curnow, Tuck. Casey: MacReadie, Panozza, Chivers, Matthews, Faulks, Wall.Reserves: Box Hill Hawks 24.18 (162) d Casey 2.10 (22).