By ADEM SARICAOGLU
HOPPERS Crossing virtually secured a top four berth after taking care of St Albans by three goals at home on Saturday.
The Warriors sit two games clear of fifth-placed Sunshine with three games left before the finals and will battle it out with the Port Melbourne Colts for third place in coming weeks.
In tricky conditions the Warriors established an eight-point lead at quarter time.
The Saints won more of the footy in the second term and were rewarded for it on the scoreboard, managing to level the scores by halftime.
However their momentum didn’t last long as the Warriors stepped up a gear in the third quarter.
Hoppers Crossing piled on six goals to the Saints’ one after the main break and by three-quarter time looked comfortable with a 33-point buffer.
The Saints came again in the final term and tried to claw their way back, but could only manage to get within three goals of the Warriors at the final siren.
Hoppers Crossing shared the load on Saturday with Jarryd Ramsay, Aaron Williams and Kade Carey all nailing three goals, while Thomas Jehle and Terry Knight both got two.
Daniel McKerracher tried hard for the Saints with four goals for the day as did Damian Fitzpatrick and Timothy Jenkins, who got three and two respectively.
