Lavington has handed a pathetic Wodonga Raiders a lesson in desire and desperation, smashing the finals contender by 48 points on Sunday.
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Raiders led by 19 points late in the first term, but kicked only three goals to 12 in falling 15.9 (99) to 8.3 (51).
Coach Daryn Cresswell was in no mood to speak to The Border Mail after the capitulation.
But Lavington coach James Saker, who sat out the game with suspension, was delighted with the win in wet conditions.
“I thought we were very hard at it and showed some real toughness,” he said.
“We talked about it pre-game, we wanted a consistent effort and I thought we did that.”
The Panthers’ effort was personified in the second quarter in pouring rain.
The home team kicked five goals to one and, like much of the game, it came down to effort.
“The second quarter fightback, it was a rewarded with some goals and put some scoreboard pressure on, which allowed us to dictate the rest of the game,” Saker said.
Lavington players threw themselves at the ball, while the free-flowing Raiders tried to play like a dry day.
Cresswell was bitterly disappointed with his players at half-time and Jackson Kelly responded in the first 45 seconds, running down an opponent in the goal square.
But Adam Butler’s goal at the four-minute mark summed up Raiders’ lacklustre performance.
The veteran dropped a mark and then took some time to control it in the slippery conditions.
But he still had time to pick it up, brush past a poor attempt to tackle and goal.
It was a battle of Lavington’s clinical football, albeit not spectacular, against Raiders’ pace and excitement, and the Panthers humbled the visitors.
Boom Raiders’ recruit Brodie Filo was the only player to possibly enhance his reputation, kicking a superb goal in the first quarter, mesmerising the defence with his pace and finish.
But, more importantly, he involved himself in most contests, where possible.
Lavington, which is still missing key players, including representative defender Brant Dickson, had a stack of stars, including Marty Brennan, Sam Hargreave and Jack Nunn.
The Panthers’ Hayden Singe suffered a hamstring injury so he’ll miss Saturday’s clash against Albury.
Raiders’ vice-captain Jack Di Mizio also had ice on his hamstring.
And Tom McCaffrey was charged with striking.
