The Wangaratta Derby delivered once again, in front of a raucous crowd at WJ Findlay Oval on Sunday afternoon.

Despite spending most of the match on the back foot, the Rovers would salute by just five points, 7.11 (65) to the Magpies 8.12 (60) after a tremendous final term with some key players injured and off the park.

Wangaratta’s Xavier Laverty kicked the first goal of the match thanks to a blocking free kick, before Tyson Young snared the second, thanks to some scintillating rebound running out of half back from Joel Stevens.

Magpie Matt Hedin would kick the third goal inside 10 minutes, and suddenly the Rovers were under the pump.

The Rovers took some time to work into their game, led by Xavier Allison and Sam Murray, but weren’t able to get clean looks on goal, kept goalless in the first quarter for the first time since round five.

Advantage, Wangaratta – 3.4 (22) to 0.3 (3).

A fumble from Keiren Parnell in the Rovers' defensive 50 led to the ball spilling to Tyson Young, who would snap his second within the first three minutes of the second term.

The Rovers would finally find their first goal through a snap from Will Christie, breaking the run of four to the ‘Pies.

A 50m decision against Rover Charlie Thompson would prove costly, with Harry Hewitt taken to the top of the arc and slotting the major.

Stuart Booth settled the nerves in the 18th minute, kicking true for the Rovers’ second, but they weren’t without their chances, peppering the sticks with little reward until Brodie Filo launched from 50m for a goal.

The tensions of the Derby boiled over with an altercation as Rovers and Magpies players came together with a bit of argy-bargy.

In the 28th minute of the quarter, the umpires converged at a stop in play, exchanged details, and ultimately, Wangaratta’s Matthew Kelly received a yellow card and was sent off.

While the Magpies had a shot after the half-time siren, they weren’t able to further their advantage, taking a 13-point lead into the long break.

The Rovers looked to press their advantage with the Magpies down a man, but the black and white would kick the first of the second half through a Jack Mapleson snap 10 minutes in.

Charlie Thompson kicked one in response in the 14th min, but from then on, there was plenty of footy played between the arc, complete with big tackles and desperate defence.

Potentially the biggest moment of the match came in the shadow of three quarter time, when Rovers coach Sam Murray fell to the turf clutching his leg, with a probable hamstring injury sidelining him for the remainder of the match.

With a 13-point lead heading into the final term, it was the Magpies’ chance to make a statement.

However, it would be Will Christie with the play of the match – after marking on the boundary on the 50m arc, Christie charged towards the goal square, sold some candy, popped the handball over the top to Sam Cattapan who kicked the major to bring it back to seven points.

Wangaratta’s Lachie Kennett and Rover Cattapan would kick goals for their respective sides as the quarter wore on, with the game in the balance, before a Brodie Filo torpedo from well outside the arc would tumble out the back of a contest and through the goal, sending the match back within one point.

Filo continued to rise, winning a free kick inside forward 50 and slotting his third goal of the day to put the Rovers in front for the first time in the 15-minute mark of the final term.

Once Justin Lewis got on the end of a chain of chip kicks and slotted it, the Rovers stretched the lead out to 11 points, as time began to become a factor for the Magpies.

With pressure at a fever pitch, Wangaratta’s Aidan Tilley brought the margin back to five points with little more than a few minutes to go.

With a high ball coming into the ‘Pies forward 50, Aiden Tilley was given a free kick for a push in the back, as the siren sounded while he was lining up.

He had the game on his boot, but shanked the kick after the siren, ensuring the Rovers would claim the Derby.

The Rovers’ leaders stepped up, with Sam Cattapan, Lochie O’Brien, Brodie Filo and an injury-hampered Ed Dayman doing the job for the injured coach Sam Murray through the last term.

For the Magpies, Jackson Clarke was immense, while Jett Roberts and Chris Knowles fought hard all match.

The result sees the Rovers go a game clear on top of the ladder, while the Magpies slot into second.

The earlier matches were incredibly hard-fought encounters, with the Rovers claiming victory in the reserves 7.9 (51) to 3.8 (26), and the ‘Pies saluting in the thirds by one point, 7.6 (48) to 7.5 (47).