What happened after tea is a mystery to all in attendance at the Frank Kirk Oval in Altona on Saturday.

Brighton's Harrod boys - big-hitting No.11 James (70 not out) and steady middle order contributor Andrew (35) - threatened to bring the A's' hard work undone with their remarkable 90-run 10th wicket partnership. They came together with Brighton in a trough at 9-110, still 132 runs from victory.

It was certainly hard work for the A's to secure the win, which keeps them within touching distance of top-ranked sides Caulfield and Melton.

"The No.11 came out with nothing to lose and started real well," the A's coach Mark McAllion said. "We though the match was over and we relaxed. It's a good reminder that if we move away from the plans things can turn ugly pretty quickly."

It was far from a convincing A's performance.

With the bat, it was seasoned campaigners John Varchione (121) and Gordon MacFarlane (53) who saved their bacon.

Minus the 10 extras, the other nine batsmen contributed a mere 57.

The bowlers gave the A's the upper hand in the early exchanges on day two.

Charlie Kilpatrick was a menace with 4-68 off 22 overs and Glenn Sullivan's 2-55 off 14 pointed to a victory for the home side.

When A's spinner Matthew Boglis chipped in with 3-60 off 13 overs, it appeared as though his side was marching to an emphatic victory.

But the late work by the Harrods prompted a recall of Kilpatrick to the attack and he claimed the final wicket of the match.

"He bowled a good line and length," McAllion praised.

"He was constantly trying to find the outside edges."

The A's bowlers were backed up well in the field.

Tim Collins was always in the thick of the action, claiming three catches.

Wicketkeeper Simon Jackson was on song with three of his own, and a run out.

"The fielding was good," McAllion said.

"The boys were right on their game until tea." The A's will enter the final round of the south-west group season in search of a top-two berth.

They need to settle their end of the bargain and beat top-four combatant Malvern in a one-dayer at the Malvern Cricket Ground on Saturday.

If they overcome that stern test, they can move into the top two if either Caulfield or Melton slip up in the last round.