Williams fractured a bone in his back in the first quarter, but still kicked five goals in the entertaining 17.5 (107) to 10.7 (67) away win.

The Pigeons had just finished their post-match address when ambulance officers wheeled a stretcher into the room, although Williams was able to walk, albeit gingerly, out of the rooms.

Smith's injury had disaster written all over it when he smashed into the goalpost at full speed in the slippery conditions at the 10-minute mark of the first quarter.

The game was delayed for four minutes as five trainers stretchered the speedy small forward off.

"It's just a corkie we think, but it wasn't good, it looked like a bloody car accident," relieved Panthers' coach Adam Schneider revealed.

Only seven minutes later, team-mate Jack Kirley clashed heads with a team-mate and was also forced out of the game.

Despite the injuries, the gritty Panthers cut the margin to a point against the second-placed Pigeons late in the third, before the visitors kicked the last six goals.

"I'm super proud, but we just ran out of legs," Schneider declared.

"Our inside work, our contest, our ruthlessness was outstanding, the scoreboard didn't reflect the game, it was an unbelievable effort."

The Panthers were missing crucial utility Brant Dickson, while the Pigeons were without Michael Gibbons (illness).

The home team opened the scoring after eight minutes when Myles Aalbers rolled the ball through and he followed that shortly after with a wonderful piece of goalkicking craft, snapping the ball just eight metres from the boundary as he was running towards it.

The lead changed five times until the nine-minute mark of the second term, including a booming 40m effort from Williams just metres from the boundary.

The Panthers never regained the lead, with the Pigeons' profile players - Williams, Nick Fothergill (21 touches), Harry Wheeler (25), coach Mark Whiley (27) and Lach Howe (18) - having enough class to snare the win.

Williams finally left the field with just minutes remaining.

"It was (courageous) to stick at it as long as he did and keep providing a target," Whiley praised.

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Aalbers finished with four goals, while defender Jack Harland booted a superb 45m goal and had 19 touches, while Billy Glanvill (31) and Ben Ashley-Cooper (20) were also outstanding.

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