POOWONG showed it thoroughly deserved fourth spot on the ladder after a convincing 58-point victory over Lang Lang on Saturday.

The Tigers now sit three games outside the top six and unless they can engineer a dramatic turnaround in form can now wave their finals’ hopes goodbye.

The Magpies played with lots of poise, self-assurance and discipline and while a little on the small side did enough to suggest they are a legitimate finals’ prospect.

Poowong took the upper hand early with a goal by Mitchell Cooper who was on the end of a well-crafted team effort which was quickly followed by a major to Glen Attenborough after he weaved his way through some heavy traffic.

At the ten-minute mark, young Lang Lang forward Chris McCurdy hauled in a strong mark and kicked truly, but from then on the visitors took total control and rammed on a remarkable eight unanswered goals to take a stranglehold on the game.

The Tigers had no answer to key tall Magpie forward Trevor Hooker who led well, marked strongly and kicked accurately to steer through four first-term goals.

Poowong had superior numbers at the ball, moved it with more purpose and midfielders Alex MacQueen, Jarred Attenborough and captain-coach Brett Anthony all excelled in the opening quarter.

The Tiger’s first-quarter effort was best forgotten.

Lang Lang captain-coach Clint Evans gave his team a dressing down at the first break and it paid dividends when Andrew Dowson slotted through a goal inside the first two minutes.

However, it was all to no avail as Hooker continued to dominate and scored three more goals early to midway through the second half, interspersed by goals to Lang Lang’s Jack Fulton and Rhys Nisbett.

Late in the quarter the Tigers mounted their first serious challenge and with unanswered goals by Russell Loughridge, Dale Robinson and Rhys Nisbet gave supporters a glimmer of hope, but still entered the main interval trailing by 41 points.

After a quiet first quarter, Lang Lang midfielders Adam Baxter, Dean Brown and Russell Loughridge started to find the ball and give assistance to captain-coach Clint Evans who was the Tigers most effective ball winner in the first half.

Lang Lang started the second half with intent when Dale Robinson marked strongly twice and put through goals and when Evans kicked a long goal, the Tigers looked as though they could work their way back into the game.

In the later part of the term, Poowong stepped up a gear once again. Busy forward Glen Attenborough snapped his second goal of the quarter and Hooker chimed in with another two majors to give visitors a 47-point lead at three-quarter time.

Any faint hopes of victory Lang Lang held were snuffed out when the first three goals of the term were put through by the Magpies, firstly Hooker, his tenth, Bronson Interlandi and then Jarred Attenborough.

Thereafter the game petered out and Poowong went on to record a comfortable 57-point victory.

Poowong’s midfielders were allowed too much time and space and far too many times the Tigers did not man up.

The Magpies moved the ball quickly, played on regularly and often caught the Tiger defence napping and flat-footed.

In a good team effort, Hooker was outstanding.

His 10-goal performance speaks for itself and he had plenty of good allies led by Alex MacQueen, Glen and Jarred Attenborough, Brett Anthony and Ryan Fitzgerald, who all rotated through the midfield.

The Magpie defence of Clint Newcombe, Glen Fleming, Dave Miller were unobtrusive, but effective, and ruckman Adam Miller put in a lion-hearted effort.

Magpie captain-coach Brett Anthony was pleased with his side’s showing.

“Overall it was a good team effort, we rely heavily on a team effort because we have no stars and I’m pleased we’re travelling nicely,” he said after the match.

Good players for Lang Lang were hard to find.

Clint Evans and Russell Loughridge were the only players to make their presence felt for all four quarters, midfielder Adam Baxter tried hard and Brad Michie put his body in well in defence.

Dale Robinson did well in the ruck and looked real threat when he rested in the forward-pocket, but the Tigers could not get the ball to him on enough occasions to hurt the Magpies.

With five players missing from last week’s side, the Tigers’ depth was badly exposed.

An upbeat Evans said that after quarter time he could not knock their courage.

“The boys put their heads over the ball, but our poor disposal skills killed us. We’re on a learning curve, but look to have a bright future,” he said.