Fans the losers as Central District and South Adelaide fight out error-filled draw at Elizabeth

EVER been to a game where it seemed no one wanted to win? The crowd from Central District’s lacklustre draw with South Adelaide can answer that with a resounding yes.

09/05/15 - SANFL: Central District v South Adelaide, at Playford Alive Oval in Elizabeth. Panthers' Pat Kerin attempts to tackle Bulldogs' Jacob Gillbee. Photo Tom Huntley

EVER been to a game where it seemed no one wanted to win?

Well that happened in Elizabeth on Saturday when fans were forced to endure a mistake-plagued, lacklustre draw between Central District and South Adelaide.

Chris Jansen was the hero for the Bulldogs when his long bomb from well outside the 50m arc evaded everyone to bounce through for a goal to level the scores with less than a minute remaining.

It snatched a premiership point away from the Panthers, who looked headed for the win when Michael Ross showed composure to snap a goal to give the visitors a five-point lead late in the quarter.

But did anyone deserve the two points? If you want to watch some scrappy action, just grab a replay of any quarter. No matter what quarter, the story was the same with skill errors, turnovers, poor decision making and too many players lacking the conviction to take the game on.

The reaction from the two coaches probably reflects the current status of the two clubs. Bulldogs' Roy Laird, understanding his side’s shortcomings as it rebuilds, was content with the effort of his players.

Frustration was the emotion displayed by Panthers' Brad Gotch. After playing in the preliminary final last season, there are high expectations at Noarlunga but the Panthers need to be better than this if they are to deliver.

"Overall the effort was outstanding,'' Laird said. "Defensively it was a great effort and we hung in there and were disciplined.

"We had some moments, you have got to take those moments. There were too many elementary errors and that means you don't get momentum.''

The biggest lead was 14 points when Panthers' key forward Brett Eddy bagged the second of his four goals early in the second quarter but for much of the contest the margin was single figures.

Finding free movement was a testing challenge as both outfits struggled to hit targets and continually coughed up shoddy errors.

The Panthers were camped deep in attack for much of the final quarter, only to be held up by committed defensive work from the home side. There was a common theme in the final term, the Bulldogs working hard to retrieve the ball and blast it outside 50, only to turn it over and watch the Panthers send it back into attack.

"I just know we can play better in certain circumstances, and certain individuals, when the going got tough, did not quite step up how I would like,'' Gotch said. "That dare and risk-taking was not there but credit to both teams from a defensive point of view.

"We did get a point and it is always a tough ask coming out here.''

CENTRAL DISTRICT 2.0 5.0 7.1 8.1 (49)

SOUTH ADELAIDE 3.1 5.2 6.3 7.7 (49)

BEST - Central: Hoskin, Barmby, J. Schiller, Jansen, Thomas. South: Gotch, Crabb, Eddy, Rose, Bass.

GOALS - Central: Hoskin 2, Jansen, Jenner, Goodrem, Kemp, Thomas, Retzlaff. South: Eddy 4, Cross, Ross, Veide.

UMPIRES - Schramm, Lally, Medlin.

CROWD - 1342 at Playford Alive Oval.