The Spartans have completed their regular season at the top of the ladder with two games left to play.
The outcome was finalised after Saturday’s hard-earned victory against PEGS by 28 points at Rathmine Reserve.
The home side had lost their previous game against Old Geelong, which meant that their opponents, who were placed second, still had hopes of knocking them down if they were to walk away with a win.
The match started with both teams finding goals while tensions arose in defence. The low 4-1-25 to 2-4-16 with which the first quarter came to a close was a clear indicator of how much was at stake and how unwilling both sides were to to back down.
Not much changed in the second, as the Spartans went into the break with a narrow nine-point lead. As the two teams returned to the pitch, the visitors made their counter attack and took the lead, but the Hawthorn side was able to turn it around before it was over and end it in front again with nine.
In the final minutes of the encounter, the Essendon players looked as though they were out of energy as they had given all they had and the home side took advantage to extend their lead.
The win means that the last two games of the regular season are inconsequential for the Spartans, as they can already begin to prepare for the play-offs where they will have the absolute home advantage.
The penultimate game of the regular season will be against Mazenod today, Saturday 10 August at Central Reserve, Glen Waverley. The game is scheduled to begin at 12 noon.
SCORES
1st Quarter: 4 1 25 to 2 4 16
2nd Quarter: 7 4 46 to 5 7 37
3rd Quarter: 10 6 66 to 8 9 57
4th Quarter: 14 8 92 to 9 10 64
Goal kickers: A. Brizzi 7, N. Criticos 3, D. Bubunaras 1, J. Farah 1, A. Mitropoulos 1, C. Pana 1