Lavington has posted one of its best wins in the six years under coach James Saker.
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Missing half its full-strength line-up, the Panthers edged out second-placed Yarrawonga in a thriller, 8.13 (61) to 8.11 (59).
“It’s one of the most rewarding wins we’ve had at the club in a home and away fixture for quite some time,” Saker said.
“There’s not many times where, I suppose, like today we went in as genuine underdogs and that was compounded by the fact we lost three or four when we were looking to add three or four to our team during the week.”
The Panthers lost their best forward in Luke Garland to injury at Thursday night training and their best midfielder in Matt Sharp with a hamstring on Tuesday night, while veteran Adam Butler failed to take his place.
That comes on top of missing representative defender Brant Dickson and rugged on-baller Sam Harris, among a host of others.
The Panthers have carved a reputation as a junior nursery, so it was fitting that two youngsters kicked the visitors’ last goal.
“What ended up being the winning goal was two of our under 18 boys, running the ball inside 50 metres, Noah Amery took a couple of bounces and handballed it to Corey McAlpin, the first gamer, who kicked, in the end, what was the match-winning goal,” Saker said.
“It was a nice little moment for our club to get two of our young guys to ice the game.”
It was a cracking contest between the rivals, who’ve contested the past two preliminary finals.
And it was the Panthers who grabbed a third successive win over the Pigeons.
“I think they were cleaner when they went inside 50 (metres) and they took their chances when they went in there,” Yarrawonga co-coach Chris Kennedy said.
The teams were never separated by more than a few goals and the Pigeons certainly missed their leading goalkicker Brad O’Connor, who was suspended.
Despite the missing players, the Panthers still fielded an outstanding defence, led by Saker, who was back from a two-match ban, along with interleague star Jono Spina and Nick Meredith, who played his second ‘guest’ game from the VFL.
The loss dented the 200-game celebrations of Yarrawonga’s Marcus McMillan.
“He’s been a big part of the team’s success over the years and we’re extremely disappointed not to win for him,” Kennedy said.
At the other end of the scale, Lavington’s first-year player Marty Brennan continues to impress.
He attacks the ball like a terrier and would be a leading contender for recruit of the season.