Glenelg spoils South Adelaide co-captain Joel Cross’ 150th game with a three-point win

Glenelg claimed a nailbiting, three-point victory over South Adelaide at home on Saturday.

Glenelg's Elliott Chalmers is caught between South's Coby Helyar (L) and Cody Szust at Glenelg Oval. Picture: Dean Martin

GLENELG survived a late South Adelaide charge to upset the Panthers by three points at home on Saturday.

The Tigers almost let a 27-point lead slip when South kicked the last four goals of the match – including one on the siren.

But they hung on to claim a 10.6 (66) to 9.9 (63) victory.

Glenelg looked to be home when Darcy Bailey kicked a mammoth goal from the boundary after a free kick 15 minutes into the final quarter.

The Panthers refused to give up and worked hard to win the next few stoppages.

Majors to Nick Liddle, co-captain Joel Cross and two late on to Alex Aurrichio put the visitors behind by just nine points.

Nathan Kreuger was then awarded a free kick inside 50, but time was on Glenelg’s side and he was forced to kick after the siren to hand Glenelg the nailbiting win.

Tigers coach Mark Stone said his players’ ability to scrape through for a win showed maturity.

“I thought we played really, really well all day,” Stone said

“But that’s a real lesson for our leaders, with how to deal with those game situations.

“Teams are going to try and roll the dice.

“These are the situations we want to be in against the best teams and we need to know how to handle those situations.”

South coach Jarrad Wright was at a loss as to why it took his side until so late in the game to switch on.

“It was very disappointing,” Wright said.

“We probably played footy that was intent and we had to try and win it, so I’m not too sure why it wasn’t the same for the first three-and-a-half quarters.

“We are doing a lot wrong at the moment and we have to have a look at our structures and how we are moving the ball.”

It was the Panthers’ third consecutive loss and could put a huge dent in their finals aspirations as they are now only one win in front of six-placed West Adelaide.

The hosts set up the result in the first and third quarters when they held South to just 0.2 and 0.1 while booting 5.1 and 4.2, respectively.

Matthew Snook (24 disposals), Chris Curan and Ben Sawford (both with 21 touches) led the way for the Tigers.

“I’m a it loathed to individualise, because when you have great team effort I hate to point out guys,” Stone said.

Glenelg got off to the perfect start as Lachlan Hosie slotted three goals within the first eight minutes.

The hosts were slicker with their ball movement and not afraid to patiently wait for the right option when in attack.

They used the slight breeze to build a healthy, 29-point buffer at quarter-time.

The Tigers, who had not won since beating the Crows on May 19, held South goalless in the first term.

But in a huge momentum shift South, led by Abaina Davis, hit back hard in the second term with improved ball movement.

Ben Heaslip’s strong tackle was rewarded with a free kick and he goaled to give the visitors a sniff as they faced just a four-point deficit at the main break.

Davis (29 possessions), Cross (28) and Liddle (27) battled hard for the Panthers and were the only ones to receive praise from Wright. as they had little support until late in the final term.

“Again we had three players probably play above their level and the other 18 play below their level,” Wright said.

SCOREBOARD

GLENELG 5.1 5.3 9.5 10.6 (66)

SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.2 4.5 4.6 9.9 (63)

BEST

Glenelg: Snook, Curan, Sawford, Proud, Scott, Hosie. South: Cross, Liddle, Davis, Fields.

GOALS

Glenelg: Hosie 3, Scott 2, Reynolds, McCarthy, Motlop, Uberang, Bailey South: Aurrichio 2, Biemans, Brooksby, Helyar, Heaslip, Cross, Liddle, Kreuger

UMPIRES: Sboro, Hundertmark, Bryce.