South Adelaide fell short in a tense top-of-the-table clash against minor premiers Woodville West-Torrens, with the Eagles securing an eight-point win at Magain Stadium.

With the minor premiership and a home semi-final on the line, the final match of the home-and-away season was crucial for both sides.

South Adelaide were boosted by the return of Hope Taylor, Layla Vizgaudis, Lily Baxter, and Emma Charlton, all of whom rejoined the side following their State U18 commitments.

Backed by the support of their home crowd, South nearly made the perfect start, with Charlton roving a Soriah Moon hit-out and driving the ball inside the forward 50.

Although the centre clearance didn’t result in a score, the intensity and desire were evident during the opening stages of this top-of-the-table clash.

After several minutes of play between the arcs, it was the Eagles who registered the match’s first major through Klaudia O’Neill.

South’s tackling pressure was immense, forcing several rushed disposals from the Eagles and creating opportunities from turnovers.

Jaslynne Smith’s strong intercept mark at half-forward ensured there was no respite for the away side and eventually led to South’s first scoring chance of the day.

Following a last-touch out-of-bounds free kick in the forward pocket, Lily Baxter wasted no time in hitting Shae Archbold on the lead. The dangerous forward made no mistake, levelling the scores.

Moon’s battle in the ruck against the experienced Leah Cutting was a key matchup, with the Panther often shining brightest, delivering clean hit-outs to her midfielders.

Around the contest, Melissa Anderson and Caitlin Couch weren’t afraid to lay strong tackles, stifling the Eagles’ ability to break free from congestion.

With just minutes left in the first term, O’Neill’s second goal from close range would be the only thing to separate the two sides during a tight arm-wrestle.

The Eagles came out strongly in the second term, with O’Neill once again adding to her tally to extend their lead to 12 points.

Needing a response, South ramped up the pressure. Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn’s individual effort on the wing - to tackle, create a turnover, and drive the ball forward - was brilliant.

Her hacked kick was gathered cleanly by Doreena Hansen, who used her pace to create separation from her opponent and drove the ball inside 50.

While a leading Archbold couldn’t mark, the forward’s work rate to continue competing and regain possession resulted in a running shot from Baxter, which missed to the far side.

Woodville West-Torrens made South pay for the missed opportunity, converting their second goal of the quarter to further extend their lead.

In defence, Sam Pratt and Tiffany King used their experience and positioning to halve contests, while Esther Schirmer worked hard to get into the contest.

Tamika May’s clearance from the ruck kickstarted a promising forward foray, with Taylor streaming towards goal and firing from long range, only for her shot to be gathered on the last line of defence.

However, the danger was far from averted, with Archbold laying a brilliant run-down tackle to win a free kick from point-blank range. Her classy left-foot snap reduced the margin to 10 points.

South began to build momentum, and after Charlton was rewarded for a tackle on half-forward, the home side had the opportunity to kick two goals in as many minutes.

Taylor’s snap was on target but dribbled harshly to go through for a behind.

A late goal to the Eagles dealt a cruel blow going into the main break. At half-time, Woodville West-Torrens held a healthy 16-point advantage.

The third quarter was always going to be crucial to the outcome, and both sides attacked the contest as though it were a finals match.

Vizgaudis once again showcased her ability to find the ball and distribute it by hand to teammates on the outside.

Scoring proved difficult during the early stages of the quarter, with players afforded no time and space due to immense tackling pressure.

Tabitha Prosser’s chase-down tackle inside forward 50 created a golden opportunity to break the goal drought, with Hansen taking advantage and strolling into an open goal.

Woodville West-Torrens’ healthy lead had almost evaporated when Taylor and Brockhurst linked up following a hacked forward entry to find May, who also waltzed into goal unopposed.

Moon’s ability to produce hit-outs to advantage was a key reason behind South’s dominance around the contest, with Charlton and Vizgaudis benefitting greatly.

The away side struggled to deal with South’s tackling pressure, consistently turning the ball over in dangerous positions.

South created several golden scoring opportunities but were unable to convert. Taylor’s close-range snap under pressure was inches away from giving the Panthers the lead for the first time.

With the margin just one point, O’Neill once again stood up when it mattered, kicking her fourth goal against the run of play to give her side a much-needed buffer.

Vizgaudis had a chance to reduce the margin with a long-range effort just before the siren, but her shot bounced to the wrong side of the goal post for a behind.

At the final break, the Eagles managed to hold on to a seven-point lead.

The first goal of the final term was always going to be crucial to the outcome. The opening minutes were filled with pressure and little space.

Frontal pressure from Couch and Anderson never relented, setting the tone for the rest of their teammates.

After a tense arm-wrestle, it was Woodville West-Torrens who registered the all-important first goal, extending their margin to 13 points.

However, South Adelaide responded immediately, with Brockhurst slipping out the back of the contest and strolling into an open goal to keep the match alive.

Moon continued to try and lift her side, often winning crucial stoppage clearances to gain valuable territory, while Lauren Clifton showed moments of class with ball in hand.

Despite several forward stoppages, the away side refused to concede, frustrating a desperate South Adelaide.

The clock was fast becoming South Adelaide’s biggest enemy, and the professionalism of Woodville West-Torrens ensured they would give themselves the best chance to hold on.

A minor score for the Eagles late in the quarter killed any chance of a comeback, and when the siren sounded, the away side had done enough to secure the minor premiership.

South Adelaide will now set their sights on a grand final berth and revenge when they clash with Woodville West-Torrens in the second semi-final at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Sunday, 13 July, at 12:00 pm.