When crowd-favourite Josh Rose slammed down the ball for Mittagong’s fifth try, the Lions crowd roared its loudest roar of the season.

In one movement, Rose slammed home Mittagong’s win, slammed out the frustrations of an inconsistent season 2009 and gave the hope to the home supporters. In that one movement he also lifted the Lions into ninth place on the Group 6/Wests Juniors ladder, one win ahead of the dreaded wooden spoon.

That spoon is headed The Oaks’ way, unless they could muster a final round win against Narellan last night.

Mittagong trailed for much of the match on Saturday night, but stormed home in the second half to take the game 30-22.

Five-eighth Williams scored two tries and kicked three goals in the win, while Rob Carter stood heads and shoulders above the opposition with his creativity leading to a number of tries.

Mittagong started poorly, conceding two tries in the opening 20 minutes.

But in front of the gathered old boys, the Lions showed their heart with two tries before halftime to trail 12-10 at the break. The tries were scored by Corey Shepherd and Cameron Madden.

Mittagong conceded another soft try to start the second term, before Carter sold a dozen dummies to Ingleburn’s line and sent Williams over for his first try. Williams missed the conversion to make it 18-14, Ingleburn’s way.

The Lions set up camp in Ingleburn’s red-zone courtesy of a Carter 40/20, but they couldn’t get over the line and hit the lead.

Five minutes later, Mittagong found an unlikely hero in stand-in half Jesse Bonds, who grubbered near the halfway line, regathered in sensational style and sent Williams over to make it 18-all. Williams converted to put the Lions in the lead for the first time of the match.

Rose then stepped up and barged over from close to the line to seal Mittagong’s win, sparking celebrations on and off the field.

Ingleburn scored again, but Mittagong’s win was never in doubt.

Pocket rocket winger Jye Bunt dodged, ducked, dipped and dived over for a try on the fulltime siren to finish the season on a high.

Mittagong’s old boys, including premiership winners from the 1989 Lions team, would have been proud of the talent and heart the 2009 team displayed on Saturday night. Centre Erin Blackshaw was one of Mittagong’s best, along with Carter and Williams.

The win may not have made the season, but it did stamp Mittagong’s talent, and, hopefully, intention for 2010.