It was not pretty football, at times it was scrappy and looked more like a game of rugby but what unfolded at Bennett Oval on Saturday between North and Roopena was a dour dogged struggle of four quarters of tough entertaining football.

The tackling from both sides was relentless; the pressure applied assured no side could set up a winning break.

Mistakes were aplenty, goals were scarce and the youngsters on both sides went toe to toe, which added some real spice to the contest.

The Magpies could have kicked themselves out of game in the third quarter, but to their credit they just kept working hard to keep themselves in front.

Roopena refused to go away, led by their skipper Feibig, and Guy Elliot, who was superb all day, but could not convert the amount of forward line opportunities into scoreboard results.

Josh Tresize and Ryan Ernesti supplied plenty of run all game for the Pies, Trezise would consistently bob up to hurt the roost at critical times - one of his goals was pure magic.

Other Magpie youngsters Josh Ackland, Luke Seymour, Chris Beaty all contributing in a positive way to the Magpie cause.

Menzies and Thomas worked hard, Thomas with his overall skill and tenacity does mean a lot to his side.

The best forward and the best back man in town, Prokopec and Kane Grund, put on a very eager contest.

The big North full forward worked hard for his three goals, Grund wore him like a glove and deserves credit for negating his influence on the game.

The North full forward still played his part, three goals in the context of this game was important and it would be him that would stop Roopena's run in the last quarter with a sensational goal, on the run, on the angle and on fifty at the fifteen minute mark.

The roost struggled up forward, Kynan Buhlmann put on a fine display.

Paul Zucker threatened and finished with three goals but poor decision making inside their forward fifty and resolute Magpie defence restricted them to eight goals for the game.

Roopena were down on personnel but all credit to their second tier players like Sivior, Theologue and Nathan Grund who stepped up put body and soul on the line and took the game to the Magpies.

Overall North deserve their win, it was a complete team effort that got them across the line and now Magpie supporters can look forward to finals football but their challenge is to take this attitude this pressure and this game to the other sides above them on the ladder.