EFL Division 4: Surrey Park hands Silvan first loss of 2022 season

The Panthers handed EFL Division 4 power Silvan its first loss of the season on Saturday. Here’s how they did it.

It’s one of the upsets of the season.

Surrey Park handed ladder-leader Silvan its first loss of 2022, holding off the fast-finishing Cats 12.11 (83) to 11.13 (79) in the Eastern league’s Division 4 on Saturday.

The result brings Silvan’s run of nine consecutive wins to a grinding halt, after it had enjoyed an average winning margin of 118 points.

Surrey Park senior coach James Kenworthy credited early midfield dominance behind his side’s opening-quarter surge which saw the Panthers lead by 39 points at the first break, holding the Cats goalless.

Emerging talent Tom Smith (centre) finished best afield with four goals. Picture: Surrey Park FC

“It was really crucial for our boys to start the game really well, and I put it on our midfield to go in hard at the contest and win the ball at the source,” he said.

“Everyone knows how potent Silvan are so (I said) if we could restrict the ball getting down to their forwards, it would go a long way to winning the game.

“The onus was on the midfield to get on top … they were really on top early.

“Especially early on in that first half, the pressure-game around the ball from our mids and forwards was really high, our tackle count was up and we were sticking them.”

The ladder-leader hit back with nine majors to four after half-time to draw within a kick late in the match – but was denied the lead.

Kenworthy praised his side’s resilience in the nail-biting final term after losing two of its ruckmen in Mark Steiner (shoulder) and Mat Pollock (heavy collision, sternum).

Ruckman Mathew Pollock left the field injured. Picture: Surrey Park FC

“They (Silvan) kept on coming and we knew they would really challenge us,” Kenworthy said.

“We had to send Jack McLaren, our centre half-back, into the ruck (and) he couldn’t do it for the whole 20 minutes so we sent Mitch Molnar who’s a lot smaller, so we were up against it in that last quarter.”

Tom Smith kicked four goals in a best afield display for Surrey Park, while defender Noah Bennett also stood out.

The coach also praised the work of defenders Lachie Peters on Silvan livewire Justin Ficorilli and Riley Tempany on sharpshooter Leigh Kimpton, as the pair held the Cats duo to six goals between them.

The result marks a second consecutive victory for the Panthers as they sit a game clear in third spot on the ladder with a 6-4 record.

They knocked over finals aspirant Forest Hill the previous week after running second-placed Chirnside Park to 12 points the week before.

Kenworthy, who recently took on the senior coaching role, said Saturday’s win would bring about enormous belief.

“All season we’ve sort of been there, we just haven’t executed and made the most of our opportunities, whereas in the last two weeks it’s really started to show what we are capable of,” he said.

Surrey Park has the bye next weekend while Silvan hosts Nunawading.