By Andrew Bishara

Eastern Lions kept its slim promotion hopes alive with a 3-2 win over Richmond at Gardiners Creek Reserve on Saturday.

The Lions came back twice thanks to a Philip Ajao double and Munyaradzi Nyadzayo strike after Richmond had taken leads through Alex Caniglia and Hamlet Armenian.

Richmond pushed forward early and had the first chance when Ryan Lambert curled a lovely shot but it cracked off the crossbar.

The early pressure told when some lovely play around the box saw the come to Lambert, who again curled a shot that was cleared off the goal-line, but Caniglia was quickest to react and slid in to put Richmond ahead.

The lead barely lasted two minutes as the Lions pounced.

Shaun Kenny tried his luck from distance and saw his shot spill out of Richmond goalkeeper Christian Rossi's hands, as Nyadzayo tucked in the rebound.

Richmond continued to pile on the pressure and it retook the lead several minutes later through Armenian.

A quick corner was whipped in as Liam Flynn flicked a header backwards and Armenian dived in to smash it into the net.

Yet for all its dominance, Richmond was sloppy out of the back and paid for it when a poor pass was collected by Ziggy Razuki, who crossed it to the backpost for Kenny.

The winger steadied himself before flicking it to Ajao, who blasted a lovely volley right into the top corner.

And it was the big man again in the second half that put the hosts ahead.

Rising highest from a corner, Ajao managed to barge through three Richmond defenders to tuck away the header. 

The goal seemed to kill Richmond's momentum as the Lions stifled it's attacking play and slowly controlled possession.

Tom Cahill finally managed to carve a shot for the visitors with his turn-and-shot move but Lions' goalkeeper Andrew Lightfoot was more than a match for it.

And Lightfoot was again at the centre of some late drama when his stunning diving open-palm save denied Cahill's header deep into injury time.

It proved the last bit of action as the Lions held on for the three points. 

Eastern Lions 3 (Munyaradzi Nyadzayo 19’, Phillip Ajao 40’, 58’) defeat Richmond SC 2 (Alex Caniglia 17’, Hamlet Armenian 25’)

EASTERN LIONS: 1. Andrew LIGHTFOOT (GK), 3. Matthew PARRY, 4.Michael JONES, 5. Thomas FALCONER, 6. Andrew WILLIAMS, 7. Ziggy RAZUKI, 8. Mitch BEAMISH (12. Cameron PAIN 83’), 10. Philip AJAO, 11. Munyaradzi NYAOZAYO, 13. Jarrah CLEAR, 16. Shaun KENNY (15. Yianni TOUMANIDIS 77')

Unused Subs: 28. Robert HAVERCROFT, 9. Louis RAZUKI, 17. Daniel RODRIGUES 

Yellow Cards: JONES 15’, RAZUKI 71’ 

Richmond SC: 1. Christian ROSS (GK), 2. Andrew GOFF (23. Josh VALADON 62’), 4. George TSIAKALAKIS, 18. Jordan SEETO, 12. Matthew WATERS, 16. Ryan LAMBERT, 17. Samuel CATHERINE, 7. Hamlet ARMENIAN, 11. Liam FLYNN (15. Jay KELLY 69’), 10. Alexander CANIGLIA (19. Michael CATALAND 73’), 9. Tom CAHILL

Unused Subs: 6. Peter SAWAN, 14. Mate ETEROVIC, 

Yellow cards:Nil.