Tara Murray
Melton South is focused on making sure it finishes the Ballarat Football League season strong.
While the Panthers are out of finals contention and the scoreboard might not reflect it, they’ve made big inroads this season.
Panthers coach Heath Pritchard said they needed to ensure that they continued to build on what they had been doing.
“We need to not disappear off the face of the earth,” he said. “In similar situations we’ve been, that is what we’ve done.
“Between rounds three and 10 we were in front for periods in every game. This group has come a long way, we need to continue it.
“We have North Ballarat and Redan who are both good sides. We need to try and finish of the season and not get blown away.”
It’s been a few tough weeks for the Panthers with injury and COVID hitting hard. On Saturday they had 30 players not available across their senior teams, leaving them scrambling to fill a reserves side.
On Saturday, their senior side got back into the game after a poor start but weren’t able to get the points against the Sunbury Lions.
The Lions kicked away in the last quarter to get the w19.13 (127)-10.8 (68) win and move above the Panthers on the ladder.
Pritchard said they weren’t able to convert their chances when they had them.
“We had a really poor start with Sunbury getting the jump on us,” he said. “We were six goals down at quarter time.
“The second quarter was really good as was the third. We had a shot for goal two minutes to go in the quarter to go six points down.
“We missed, Sunbury took it up the other end and scored. They then got the centre clearance and got another one.
“We were looking at being one goal down, to being four goals down.”
Pritchard said when Sunbury took the ascendancy early in the last quarter they were able to convert and the score line then blew out.
“We didn’t take the chances, Sunbury deserved to win,” he said.
Ben Casley and William Thornton-Gielen kicked two goals apiece for the Panthers. Billy Lloyd and Broden Collins were named their best.
The 10th placed Panthers have a much welcomed bye this weekend.
In other results, Darley got an important win against East Point.
The Devils led at every break but weren’t able to break the game open until the last quarter.
Three goals to none in the final term sealed the 13.9 (87)-8.9 (57) win.
Nick Rodda kicked four goals in the win. Luther Barker and Mace Cousins were named their best.
The Devils sit fifth on the table, but only four points behind third placed East Point.
Redan which is in eighth spot is still in the mix for finals contention, making every match important.
Seventh placed Bacchus Marsh and ladder leaders Melton both had byes on Saturday.
