In conditions better suited to flying kites than football, West snatched victory from the jaws of defeat once again against a red hot South at Memorial Oval.

In the opening quarter, South kicked with the aid of a five-goal wind, but the Dees were squandering early chances and it wasn’t until Shane Cox, playing in front, took a mark and goaled to put South’s first on the board, 10 minutes in.

The Demons’ pressure around the packs was first class and they looked like exploding at any minute.

But the West midfield, led by Anthony ‘Sticks’ Manfield and Brad Smith, were working hard back into defence to help out making it hard for South to score.

A Bevan Doolan long bomb, just on quarter time, gave the Dees their second and a 20-point lead at the first change.

South were forced to put Brad Page into the ruck after losing Ray McIntosh to an ankle injury, and he responded well by giving the likes of Guy Sultan and Jimmy Martin first use of the ball.

If it weren’t for the stiff breeze, South could have drawn first blood in the second term.

After some desperate footy by both sides, raw Shannon Winders swooped in on a loose ball to goal on the run, followed by a strong tackle and goals by Simon Nowak, which brought West within six points.

Then two goals to the opportunist Smith and another to young Dylan Everitt from the dead pocket, who was playing a fair game and was causing the Demons plenty of headaches, gave West a seven-point lead at half time.

The Dragons got the start they wanted in the third term, when the big haired Nowak took a strong pack mark and goaled to give them a 13 point lead.

South, with its back to the wall with Peter Jackson and Ray McIntosh arguably the number one and two ranked footballers in Whyalla playing no further part in the game, needed a spark.

Westies were playing a lot of smarter football, bottling up play and making it hard for the Dees to score.

Late goals to Gav Jonker and Ryan Baker gave the Demons a 12 point lead at three quarter time.

South came out full of fight and worked hard in the final term, but a goal against play from Grzona got Westies its first, to bring them within five-points.

Buckskin replied straight away to steady the Dees.

Everitt, arguably best on ground, kicked a cracker from the dead pocket and it was a five-point ball game.

When Cox soccered off the ground to stretch the lead for the Dees they looked like holding out the Dragons but Smith, who had found space all day, gave the Dragons a sniff.

Then Shannon Winders marked on the fifth attempt, four of which were not his, put the Dragons in front much to the disgust of the Demon faithful.

Smith sealed the deal from the next centre bounce and the Dragons, as they have done so on two previous occasions, found a way to beat the Demons.

Best for the Dragons and Best on ground was young Everitt, who was a live wire all day.

Smith had a day out, and Sticks Manfield and Aaron Smith played well.

For the Demons Guy Sultan was superb, Brad Page stood up and Jimmy Martin won a lot of hard balls.