AMATEURS

OLD Scotch captured its biggest scalp of the season when it came back to defeat top-placed St Bedes/Mentone by five points at Sportscover Arena yesterday.

Kicking against the wind in the last term, Scotch lost the lead in time-on before goals to midfielder Hamish Dick and former Melbourne ruckman Shane Neaves revived the club's season.

St Bedes/Mentone, which had Jarryd Robertson sent off in the dying seconds, was without its midfield of Jack Hellier (quad), who was best-afield in the previous weekend's under-23 representative final, Ben Phibbs (hamstring), Sam Anstey (calf) and Simon Richards (suspended), while Scotch missed tall Max van den Broek (groin) and midfielder Rob Ferraro (knee).

Old Scotch has spent a record 32 consecutive seasons in the top section without winning a flag. It has won four, lost four and drawn one at the halfway mark of the season.

Meanwhile, Old Xaverians are a chance to miss the finals for just the second time since graduating to A Section in 1992. They dropped to fifth after being hammered by 10 goals by Collegians, who replaced the Tigers on top of the ladder. Nick Sautner kicked seven on his return from a knee strain.