TERRIGAL AVOCA have turned the tables on Central Coast rivals Killarney Vale, handing the Black Diamond Cup leaders their first defeat this season on Saturday.
At a boggy Adelaide Street Oval, the second-placed Panthers 6.8 (44) managed to beat the Bombers 5.8 (38) despite not scoring a goal in the third and fourth quarters.
They led 42-13 at the main break after kicking five goals and keeping the home side scoreless in the second quarter.
The Bombers scored 25 points across the final two quarters but still fell a goal short.
It was their first loss this season after banking 11 consecutive wins.
It was also third-time lucky for the Panthers having lost two Central Coast derbies with the Bombers already this year.
Both sides were missing a host of players but the win moved the Panthers 12 points, or three wins, behind the Bombers.
Even if they win their four remaining games, the Panthers are unlikely to rein in the Bombers given the leaders play lowly Singleton and Maitland in the coming weeks.
With first and second positions all but settled, the attention over the next month will be on who makes the remaining finals spots.
Newcastle City jumped into outright third and four points clear of Cardiff without having to take to the field after benefiting from Singleton's forfeit on Saturday.
Fifth-placed Warners Bay 11.9 (75), the only other side in finals contention, moved four points behind Cardiff after beating Maitland 4.5 (29) at Feighan Oval.
The Bulldogs trailed 19-17 at halftime but kicked nine goals to the Saints' one in the back half of the game.
"Maitland were pretty good in that first half but we were able to run away with it," Bulldogs coach Nathan Harkness said.
"Ben Stewart played a really big role for them and once we nullified that and got our match-ups a bit better we started to pile on a few points."
It was Stewart's 250th game in the league. Harkness said the "tough, physical" affair should steel his side ahead of their tough run of games against Terrigal Avoca, Cardiff and City after a bye next week.
They are also due to play a catch-up game with Singleton.
"If Cardiff lose a few and Newcastle City play all their games, that will make things really interesting," he said. "We're right in it. We haven't rolled over at any stage at all."
LADDER: Killarney Vale 44, Terrigal Avoca 32, Newcastle City 28, Cardiff 24, Warners Bay, 20, Singleton 4, Maitland 4
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