Border Mail |BRENDAN Fevola made certain Yarrawonga remained in the Ovens and Murray Football League premiership race with a match-winning 10-goal haul to sink Wodonga Raiders in the first semi-final on Sunday.
The champion goal-kicker added another chapter to the fairytale that has been his time with the Pigeons by lifting them to a famous victory by 24 points at the W.J. Findlay Oval.
Fevola booted his biggest individual haul in an O and M final to set up a second successive preliminary final showdown against Lavington after the Panthers crashed to flag favourites Albury in the second semi-final on Saturday.
He provided the spark for an early Pigeons assault by kicking four goals in the first term and added another two early in the second quarter before drama struck.
Fevola led for another mark, but collided with Raiders’ defender Stewart Williams and crashed to the ground concussed.
He left the ground dazed and an ambulance was called to the ground, but he refused to go anywhere as the Pigeons' 37-point lead evaporated in his absence.
To the disbelief of most at the ground, Fevola ran back onto the ground for the resumption of the second half and returned to the goal-square.
He failed to make an impact in the third quarter as Raiders threatened to rip the match from the Pigeons.
The Raiders had a 24-point lead at the final change before Fevola and a rampant Pigeons’ mid-field turned the game on its head with a nine goal to one final quarter.
Yarrawonga co-coach Drew Barnes said Fevola was given the all-clear to come back.
"They assessed him and we got the okay," he said.
"He was right to go as you could see because he took some great grabs.
"He was still kicking the ball dead straight."
Fevola's 10-goal haul was a record for a Pigeons' player in a first semi-final and equalled the 10 booted by St Patrick's player Len McInerney in 1927.
Another St Patrick's player and O and M Hall of Famer Maurie Hunter holds the record for most goals in a first semi-final with 19 in 1928.
