News

Triple reigning premier Sandringham stretched the Devils' club-record losing streak with a 19.20 (134) to 14.8 (92) win at Aurora Stadium, but the home side scored a moral victory.

The Devils fought like their namesakes against a Melbourne-laced Sandringham, and had Lady Luck smiled on the locals they would have given the Zebras the fright of their lives.

Besieged coach Daryn Cresswell mingled with his players post-game, smiling and even announcing a temporary lift on the players alcohol ban, such was his delight with his dog-tired 22.

The biggest bonus for Crezza came from one man, midfielder Scott Stephens.

"I copped a lot of flack about making this guy co-captain of Tasmania," Cresswell said.

"He had 39 possessions tonight. His last six weeks have been outstanding.

"He played on a class player in Peter Summers and kept him to 18 possessions and had a ton of it himself.

"He's one player who shows great character and I was really pleased with him and the way he led from the front.

"I feel I made the right decision -- I never doubted myself, but a few other guys did."

The Devils applied a level of pressure to Sandringham that has been missing most of the season.

"We won the first quarter, got smashed in the second, drew the third and won the last," Cresswell said. "So, from the point of view of playing a quality side like Sandringham, who have won the last three premierships, I think we took some giant steps forward tonight."

The Devils were superb in the first quarter with the heat they applied to the Zebras and their skill by hand and foot.

They flicked the ball around until they released a player to run hard.

Their attack was so ferocious that half-forward Ben Warren had his number taken by two umpires for a pack-busting run that left the Zebra's biggest bloke, Ben Holland, sprawled on the deck.

Tasmania led by a point at quarter-time, but that was quickly erased when Sandringham kicked eight of the 10 goals kicked in the second.

Two former Richmond players did the Devils most harm.

Forward Ezra Poyas kicked 3.4 to the long break, while Holland switched from an impassable tower down back to a big target up forward and kicked a goal in time-on giving Sandy a 38-point lead.

Despite kicking the first two goals of the third term, the Devils slipped away to a 50-point deficit midway through the term, but recovered by kicking four of the next six.

Quiet in the first half, Devils full-forward Adam Derbyshire cut lose to lead the team's goalkicking with four.