EFNL 2021: Chirnside Park snaps 37-game losing streak

It went two full seasons without a win, but Chirnside Park has broken through for its first victory since 2017 in resounding fashion.

Chirnside Park wins its first match since Round 18, 2017. Picture: Steve Tanner

Chirnside Park coach Dave Newlands describes it as “a monkey off the back”.

The Panthers broke their long-standing losing streak at Hughes Park on Saturday, defeating Croydon North-MLOC to the tune of 72 points, 16.14 (110) to 6.2 (38).

And it’s an overwhelming sense of relief for coach Dave Newlands, with the club’s losing run of 37 consecutive matches – the league’s most recent longest drought – stretching back to Round 1 of 2018. The club was relegated from Division 3 in 2019 following its second consecutive winless season.

Ruckman Grattan Stephens finished among his side’s best. Picture: Steve Tanner

Chirnside Park raced out of the blocks to lead at all changes, piling on 7.1 in the first term to 1.2 before holding a 78-point buffer at the main break.

Ben Slattery starred for the Panthers with five goals in a best afield performance for the winners, while Lachlan Inaps and Michael Robb kicked two apiece.

Kieran Urquhart, Grattan Stephens, Josh Clavant and Aaron Petinella rounded out the Panthers’ best, as Daniel Price kicked four for Croydon North-MLOC with Mark Harrison finishing best-on for the home side.

“To put it together and get it to gel, as it did yesterday … it’s just a massive relief for the whole club,” Newlands said.

“I think it was a pretty even effort and I think all the boys played really well.

“Obviously ‘Slatts’ (Ben Slattery) was clearly best on ground … they (Chirnside Park) didn’t know how to win, but they won, if that makes any sense.

“But the feeling they got from that, was that you don’t forget how to win after that.”

The two sides hunt the footy. Picture: Steve Tanner

The Panthers were missing spearhead Daniel Beddome (pinched calf) among a few others, while Newlands paid tribute to Ben Slattery’s work shaking a tag to set his side up for the victory.

“We still had a few out yesterday, so that’s a great sign,” Newlands said.

“(Ben Slattery) got tagged heavily two years ago when we were getting done every week, and he got tagged heavily yesterday, but he’s just a class outfit.”

The win was however marred by first-gamer Brodie Gray being stretchered from the field late in the piece following a heavy collision, but Newlands said the under-19 product would be all right.

“He’s all right, just a sore neck from what I’ve been told, just a jarring,” Newlands said.

“The kid was playing really well on the wing, for his first game.”

Chirnside Park takes on Forest Hill next week at Kimberley Reserve, and Newlands said his side would take much confidence into the Division 4 clash.

“The bonus is, obviously Coldstream are the team to beat, but we pretty much go into every week thinking we’re going to win the game of footy,” he said.