Young rover Sam Sheldon was a standout for the Brisbane Lions reserves as they fell just short of beating the best team in the AFLQ Velocity Sports Cup on Saturday.

Heavyweights Southport jumped the Lions and then withstood a fierce fightback by the visitors to win 18.12 (120)-14.12 (96).

“In the first 10 minutes we allowed them to kick four goals and then we started to win the ball a bit,” said reserves coach Craig Brittain.

“We had as many shots as them but did not convert.”

In fact, the Lions dominated the final 20 minutes of the opening term but sprayed 1.7 and trailed by 14 points at the first break.

The Lions continued to win their share of the ball in the midfield in the second term courtesy of Sheldon and Scott Harding, but they struggled to find a reliable marking target up forward.

Southport then had a purple patch in time-on and went to halftime with a big 44-point lead, with former Subiaco rover Dane Carmody having contributed five goals in a serious celebration of his 100th game for the Sharks.

“They kicked six goals in the last 10 minutes of the second quarter – other than those two particular patches, we more than held our own against them,” Brittain said.

Indeed, the Lions bounced out after halftime with a nine-goal third term and booted the first of the final quarter to move to within a kick and a half of the reigning premiers.

The cool-headed midfielder Danny Wise, who played 66 games in the SANFL several years ago, kicked the steadier and former skipper Darren O’Brien again led from the front in the crisis.

O’Brien, who was considering retirement after winning last year’s premiership, has starred in his first two games of 2009 after missing three weeks due to a wedding and the Easter bye.

Another player who has shone in the last two matches has been giant ruckman Broc McAuley, who dominated the Cats last week and did likewise to the Lions.

He did well against young giant Daniel Murray, who is still on restricted game time due to his return from osteitis pubis, and the mid-sized Lions back-up ruckman who had been particularly damaging to date.

“We did not have a winner in the key positions or the ruck,” Brittain admitted.

The coach nonetheless said his side’s effort was good, and they also had to endure limited rotations due to Murray’s condition and an ankle injury to Matt Tyler early in the third term.

The Lions also had to do without ace ballwinner Albert Proud, who flew to Melbourne with the senior squad.

Sheldon and Harding aside, Matt Austin continued his strong form and James Hawksley started strongly and spent most of the day on the ball.

Cheynee Stiller tried hard for the Lions all day while Jack Redden was also prominent. Tim Notting kicked 2.3 from full-forward.

Scoreboard:

Southport            4.3   12.5   16.8     18.12 (120)
Lions Reserves  1.7   4.9     13.10   14.12 (96)
GOALS - Sharks: D. Carmody 5, L. Jarjoura 3, D. Wise 2, B. Merrett 2, T. Pearson, L. Oswald, D. O’Brien, J. Thompson, J. Wilson, J. Kahlefeldt.
Lions: T. Rockliff 3, T. Notting 2, J. Redden 2, T. Banfield, B. McCulloch, S. Harding, S. Clouston, M. Tyler, M. Pendlington, C. Stiller.
BEST - Sharks: D. O’Brien, D. Carmody, B. McCauley, D. Charleston, J. Kahlefeldt, L. Oswald.
Lions: S. Sheldon, M. Austin, S. Harding, C. Stiller, J. Hawksley, J. Redden.