EFL Division 4: Silvan defeats Chirnside Park by 179 points

The unbeaten Cats are on the march after dispelling the division’s second seed, while one star forward could be on track for the ton.

There hadn’t been a bigger statement made in the Eastern league’s Division 4 this season.

Silvan reaffirmed its status as flag favourite after annihilating second-placed Chirnside Park on Saturday by 179 points, 38.18 (246) to 10.7 (67).

The win lifted the ladder-leading Cats to a 9-0 record and a percentage of 326.17 – some 275 on the comp’s next best, Surrey Park (150.86).

An average winning margin of 118 points has told the story of Silvan’s campaign to date – not too dissimilar from Coldstream in 2021 which enjoyed a median winning result of 132 in its unbeaten season.

While Silvan senior coach Trent Martin admitted he was somewhat surprised at the weekend’s result, the side was as close to full-strength as it had been this season.

Silvan senior coach Trent Martin. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“We were just on top of our game, it’s probably one of the stronger sides we’ve been able to put together throughout the year,” he said.

“We’re still struggling to get our best side on the park with blokes working, pre-planned holidays and a couple of injuries, (but) we were probably only one or two short of our best side on the weekend.

“I knew we were going to be good this year, but I certainly didn’t expect that.”

Leigh Kimpton (left) has kicked 60 goals so far. Could he crack the ton? Picture: Davis Harrigan

Key forward Leigh Kimpton fired off 11 goals in Saturday’s win to take his season total to 60 goals from nine matches – and he could be on track to kick the ton.

He would become the first Silvan player to reach the 100-mark since ex-AFL Bomber and Demon Gary Moorcroft did it in consecutive seasons across 2007 (108) and 2008 (163) in the now-defunct Yarra Valley comp.

Kimpton could also become the Eastern league’s first player in six years to achieve the feat, with Forest Hill’s Matt Carnelley (108 goals, Division 4) the last man to do so in 2016.

The star spearhead wasn’t alone on Saturday however, as Billy Rattray bagged 10 majors.

It’s a forward line which has provided opposition sides plenty of headaches this season.

Playing-assistant Justin Ficorilli has 41 from nine games while Rattray (22 from nine) and Matt Low (19 from eight) have also presented.

Silvan’s Justin Ficorilli has kicked 41 goals so far in his first season at the club. Picture: Davis Harrigan

“Our forward line we knew was always going to be hard to stop, and then with the way we can set up behind the footy to defend it, I reckon we would be well-placed at a higher level of footy with the way we’re going about it,” Martin said.

Competition for spots remains hot at the Cats which the coach believes has driven his charges to perform.

“The biggest thing for us is the pressure within – you don’t want to lose your spot,” he said.

“We’re on top of the ladder, we’re going to hopefully go deep into the finals and that premiership’s been something that the club’s been striving to get since I’ve been there.”

Silvan meets third-placed Surrey Park this weekend, with the Panthers running the Cats the closest of any team this season in the pair’s last meeting; 35 points in Round 4.