Sandringham has slipped out of the top-four following a narrow nine-point loss to Richmond at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on a wet Sunday afternoon.
Inconsistency has cost the Zebras in the second half of the season, falling short in recent weeks, which appears destined to cost them a top-four finish with one game to play before finals.
The cold weather held off in the first half, with the first quarter a feature with eleven goals kicked between the two sides.
The Zebras kicked the first two majors in the opening three minutes, before the Tigers got going to eventually hit the lead for a seven-point quarter time buffer.
Sandringham Coach Paul Hudson gave a blunt message at the first break, unimpressed with poor defensive efforts to allow Richmond to hit the scoreboard with such ease.
The Zebras tightened up in the second term, restricting the Tigers to one goal while kicking four majors of their own to take a 15-point lead into half-time.
Sandringham looked well in the control with play resuming in the third quarter, with an 18-point lead eight minutes in providing the home side with momentum to run out with an important victory.
It wasn’t to be though, with Richmond slotting through seven unanswered goals to take a 19-point lead at the 26 minute mark.
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The Zebras were able to peg back the margin in the final minutes of the third term, with set shot goals to Tom Curren and Joe Fisscher to only trail the visitors by eight points at the last change.
Heavy rain hit in the final thirty minutes, with the Zebras on a mission to run down the Tigers from Punt Rd.
With the constant rain making the ground heavy along with the match ball, it took 18 minutes until the first and only goal of the last term went to the visitors, enough to snatch victory from the Zebras.
Sandringham struggled to get clean possession early in the last quarter and an inaccurate seven behinds cost them a chance of victory and potentially a place in the top four.
First year Saint Brandon White (26 disposals, 6 tackles, 1 goal) impressed, while midfield pair Josh Saunders (30 disposals, 1 goal) and Tom Curren (23 disposals, 3 tackles, 2 goals) carried the engine room on the back of grunt work from VFL-listees Myke Cook (16 disposals, 2 tackles) and Kade Answerth (16 disposals, 8 tackles).
Former Saint and Zebras captain Trent Dennis-Lane (10 disposals, 1 goal) also made a successful return from injury and along with Cam Shenton (17 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 goals) will be important come the first week of the VFL finals series.
SCOREBOARD
SANDRINGHAM 5.4 9.9 12.10 12.17 (89)
RICHMOND 6.5 7.6 13.12 14.14 (98)
GOALS: Fisscher 3, Shenton 3, Curren 2, Dennis-Lane, O’Kearney, White, Saunders.
BEST: Shenton, White, Saunders, Curren, Fisscher, Minchington.
At Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
