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ARARAT is through to the Wimmera Football League semi-finals and has ended Minyip-Murtoa’s season with a 16-point elimination final victory at Horsham City Oval on Sunday afternoon.
In an extremely tight contest, the lead changed multiple times and no more than 20 points separated the sides at any stage.
But the Rats finished the stronger of the two teams to run out 15.8 (98) to 11.16 (82) winners.
The Burras had their chances to kick ahead early in the contest.
Rat Jacob Bates goaled in the opening minute, but from there the Burras took charge without being able to apply scoreboard pressure.
Clinton Midgley kicked the Burras’ first in the 15th minute, but three golden goal-scoring opportunities went begging for Blake Grant.
The Burras led by just two behinds at quarter-time when they should have held a two or three goal lead.
An injury to midfielder John Delahunty early in the second quarter did not help the Burras’ cause, with the tide immediately turning in the Rats' favour.
Matt North converted a down-field free kick, before Aaron Searle scrapped another through on the goal-line soon after.
Jake Robinson added a third in succession, before Bates kicked his second to give the underdogs - who grew increasingly more composed and were dominating through the middle - a 20-point lead.
Delahunty’s return sparked the Burras to life, as he stormed through the middle to set up a Jason Matthews goal.
Midgley added another to pull the margin back to eight points, before Searle dodged, baulked and weaved through four Minyip-Murtoa players and kicked truly late in the term for a sure goal of the year contender.
The Rats’ 14-point half-time lead was eradicated in the opening stages of the third term, as goals to Grant and Justin Garth levelled the scores.
Both sides exchanged goals in the second half of the third term, with scores level at three quarter time.
A superb Delahunty tackle on Rats defender Jake Williamson saw the Burras convert the first major of the final term seven minutes in.
But the reply came minutes later from the Rats, with Harry Ganley snapping truly, Robinson going check-side for his third and then adding his fourth a minute later to give the Rats a two-goal buffer.
Delahunty kicked his second to keep the Burras in reach, but opportunities to increase the lead went begging through Midgley and Chris Delahunty.
Searle went bang from 50 out to extend the lead to 10 points, before Grant found a reply.
Robinson replied out of the centre for five, before putting the icing on the cake with his sixth goal just minutes later.
Matt Coleman found a goal in congestion to give the Burras hope at the 27-minute mark, but a cool left-footed finish from Dan Mendes made certain of the result soon after.
Robinson, six goals, was the star for Ararat, with fellow on-ballers Mendes and Batchelor, defender Liam Cavanagh and forward Searle, three goals, all important.
Leading the way for the Burras was John Delahunty, with Justin Garth also strong and both Midgley and Grant finishing with three goals each.