EFL 2022: Blackburn’s season alive after defeating Norwood in Premier Division

The Panthers remain in touch with the EFL Premier Division top six after the weekend’s rout of Norwood ...

BLACKBURN’s season remains alive.

The Panthers banked what senior coach Brendan Allen described as a “timely” win in the Eastern league’s Premier Division on Saturday, downing Norwood 11.12 (78) to 8.5 (53).

The victory keeps Blackburn in touch with the top six with a 3-4-1 record heading into the Queen’s Birthday weekend bye.

It sits six points behind Vermont (sixth) with the pair set to clash in a fortnight.

And with the weekend throwing up a pair of upsets to current top-five outfits – Doncaster defeating ladder-leader Rowville and Park Orchards accounting for Doncaster East – the top-six door remains ajar.

The top six remains ajar for Blackburn. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“We needed to win, especially if you look at the results with Park Orchards and Doncaster winning,” Allen said.

“If we didn’t get that result it would’ve put us right back in the pack.”

The Panthers were against the wind in the opening term but took a one-point advantage into quarter-time.

But a five-goal-to-none second term set the hosts on course for victory before a 22-point lead at the final break.

Midfielder Liam Murphy kicked two majors in a best afield performance while young tall Charlie Oglethorpe also bagged a couple. Meanwhile, Jamie Bennell finished with four goals for the visitors.

The Panthers also benefitted from a raft of changes from the previous round, welcoming back key names Jack Roughsedge, Tyler Faulkner, Sam Harte and captain Pat Lawlor.

“I think we did all our damage in the second (quarter) to do enough and keep them at bay for the rest of the day,” Allen said.

It’s been a season of peaks and troughs for the young Blackburn outfit.

Allen said his men had been left to rue a draw with Berwick (11th) while up to nine gettable set-shots went begging in the previous round’s 11-point loss to fourth-placed Noble Park.

“It’s been a funny season, you’ve got to take your opportunities,” Allen said.

“We win those, we would’ve been sitting about third. You’ve got to make every post a winner, we’ve slipped up on a couple but it’s nice to get everything back on track.

“We’re young, we’re not making excuses about that fact, because these kids have got talent. I think against Doncaster East we worked out we had 13 players under the age of 23 in that team.”

Blackburn coach Brendan Allen. Picture: Davis Harrigan

It’s also taken time to adjust to life without high-flying forward Jake Hammond, who hung up the boots ahead of this season – but it’s brought about an unpredictability.

“It’s no surprise that it’s taken some adjustment not having Jake up there, especially with the style of footy,” Allen said.

“We got away with a lot of down the line kicks … having to make that adjustment, you wouldn’t think it would take a fair bit, but it does as a habit, and we’re starting to get on top of that now.

“It’s making us less predictable which is making us harder to match up against.”