THE Ovens and Murray Football League’s equivalent of Young Talent Time, Lavington, pushed Wangaratta closer to the brink of finals oblivion only a month into the season with a 31-point win on Saturday night.
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As the youthful Panthers mount a charge towards September with their second win this season, the Magpies’ campaign is at flashpoint with just one victory from the first month of 2010 and slumping to ninth spot ahead of a derby showdown against the improving Wangaratta Rovers.
On a sodden Lavington Panthers Oval the bigger, stronger, more seasoned bodies of the Magpies were expected to prevail, but the Panthers recovered from a quarter- time deficit to outclass their 2008 grand final nemesis.
Lavington trailed by seven points at the first change before the Panthers clicked into action with a mix of the old and the new taking charge in the mid-field.
Matt Pendergast produced a vintage display with his work in tandem with ruckman Luke Norton-Smith reminiscent of the understanding he once shared with big man Peter Doherty.
But he didn’t lack for support with Brad Eaton coming to the fore along with Chris Duck, Clint Brunnenmeyer, Matt Beckmans, James Eastoe and Luke McNeil.
The Panthers outscored Wangaratta in the second term 5.4 to 0.2 to turn the quarter-time deficit into a decisive 25-point lead at half-time in the tough conditions.
Wangaratta stared down a massive challenge at the long break and duly responded and fought its way back into the game, largely on the back of Matt Kelly, who revelled in the going to repeatedly come up with telling possessions for the Magpies.
The Magpies lacked a presence in the ruck with Chris Daws suffering a recurrence of a foot injury which forced him to miss the early rounds and a marking option in attack.
Jamie Allan (calf) also was a late withdrawal from the line-up, but Kelly rose to the challenge to resurrect the Magpies’ fading fortunes.
When he kicked his only goal of the game, the Magpies trailed by only 15 points, but the Panthers dug in and turned the tide back their way.
Peter Hancock made a mess of what should have been a certain goal from the square, but soon after bent a kick around his body to make amends with a timely goal against the flow for Lavington.
With Pendergast in full flight and repeatedly clearing the ball from the stoppages, the Panthers pushed the margin out to 33 points at the last break.
Wangaratta booted the first goal of the final term to raise another challenge, but Lavington held firm with a set shot converted by Joel Hartley at the 22-minute mark making victory certain.
“It’s pleasing, but we’ve still got lots to learn,” Lavington coach Tim Sanson said.
“We put ourselves under pressure in the last 15, 20 minutes and while it’s not disappointing, it’s something we have to get better at.
“It’s not necessarily about beating Wangaratta, it’s about if and when we are good enough to play finals footy again, it holds up.”
