Panton Hill knocks off undefeated ladder-leader Diamond Creek at Coventry Oval
Panton Hill gives its NFNL Division 2 rivals a reminder of its potential with a stunning upset win over ladder-leader Diamond Creek.
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After a difficult start to the season Panton Hill announced itself on Saturday.
The Redbacks travelled to Coventry Oval to face undefeated NFNL Division 2 leader Diamond Creek and walked away with a stirring nine-point win.
Trailing by four points at three-quarter-time the visitors kicked three goals to one to snatch a potentially season-defining 7.9 (51) to 6.6 (42) victory.
Having started the season 0-3, Panton Hill now has consecutive wins and a major scalp to put them back in finals calculations.
“It was a fantastic performance, something we knew we were capable of and hopeful of producing and to do it against quality opposition away from home was special,” coach Simon Amore said.
“We do have a style and a brand and we had a lot of new faces that would take time to gel.
“It wasn’t coming initially but we knew it would turn and we felt it getting better in the second half against Northcote Park and then to scrap out a tough win against Lower and then to put it all together against a quality side was what we were after.
“The challenge now is to sustain it, to go on and make sure this isn’t the highlight, to bank a few more wins and go on with it.”
After taking a one-point lead at quarter-time, Panton Hill was kept goalless in the second term as Diamond Creek took control.
The margin stood at 10 points at the main break but the Creekers rallied to get within a kick at three-quarter-time.
The Hillmen’s backline conceded just one goal in the third and fourth quarters to out defend the best defence in the competition.
Charlie Cleary and Riley Cousins were Panton Hill’s best in victory, the pair regularly turning defence into attack.
“Our back six set us up from the get-go, their ability to defend first and then control the tempo coming out of the back half,” Amore said.
“Charlie and Riley were phenomenal, they were pillars all day, took intercept mark after intercept mark and were able to set up a lot of our attacking forays.
“We like to get our defensive game in place early, close off the corridor and look to attack it when we have the opportunity.
“It was a real focus for us to push them wide and go the long way and then when we were on the rebound to not kick back to their numbers, to lower the eyes and find the hit-up.”
Tom Keys, Tim Duckworth, Ollie Parks and Matt Duckworth (three goals) also impressed for Panton Hill.
Ryan Donaldson was Diamond Creek’s best in defeat, while Tom Baird, Ryan Noble and Tyler Barnes were also solid.
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The result sees Diamond Creek drop to second, while Panton Hill remains eighth on percentage.
The Redbacks are again on the road in Round 6 with a trip to Whatmough Park to face St Mary’s, while the Creekers face Eltham in a top-of-the-table blockbuster at Central Park.
In other Division 2 results, Northcote Park defeated Thomastown by 16 points, St Mary’s were too good for Lower Plenty in a 55-point win.
Eltham remains the only undefeated team after a 45-point triumph over South Morang and Watsonia eased past Epping by 42 points.
WHAT WAS BEHIND PANTON HILL’S SLOW START
Panton Hill is on the board in 2023 with coach Simon Amore admitting it’s taken longer for the team to gel than he was expecting.
After a 0-3 start to the NFNL Division 2 season, the Redbacks registered their first win on Saturday, edging Lower Plenty by 22 points at Cracknell Reserve in the annual Pat Cronin Round game.
There were high expectations after a busy summer that saw a number of high-profile recruits brought in.
However, losses to Eltham, Watsonia and Northcote Park raised question marks about the club’s finals aspirations.
With a breakthrough win under the belt, Amore is confident his team can turn its season around.
“It was nice to get off the mark and have that pressure release for a couple of days at least,” he said.
“We expected some teething issues in the first part of the year given the amount of new faces we’ve brought into the football club but it’s taken a little bit longer for us to gel than we’d like.
“Internally we know we’ve taken some good strides it’s just not shown on the scoreboard.
“All three games there’s been patches where we’ve controlled the tempo, controlled the game, but not for long enough and when we’ve lapsed sides have capitalised against us.”
“Saturday was big occasion for both clubs being Pat Cronin Round and there was a bit of added spice given neither team had had a win.
“We’re trending in the right way, we’re taking some steps but they’re not as big as we’d like … (but) any win can fast-track that continuity and synergy so we’ll build from here.”
Panton Hill jumped out of the blocks, kicking five first-quarter goals to take an 11-point lead to quarter-time and extended the margin to 23 at half-time despite kicking 1.7.
Lower Plenty charged back into the game in the third quarter, keeping the home team goalless and levelling the scores at the final change.
The Bears kicked the first goal of the final term to take the lead and sniff a stunning upset but the Redbacks rediscovered top gear, kicking the final five goals of the game to earn a relieving win.
Lower Plenty premiership player Matt Duckworth kicked four goals against his former club, while Riley Livingstone booted three to be Panton Hill’s two best players.
Defender Charlie Cleary was thrust into the ruck when Nick Parks rolled his ankle early in the game and battled manfully against Lower star Patrick Flynn before Parks returned to play a key role in the fourth-quarter comeback
“Both (Duckworth and Livingstone) have been great additions, Matty as experienced as he is and maybe playing against the old side gave him a boost,” Amore said.
“He’s so crafty and so wily in front of the ball, he’s been so important for us, he doesn’t need many chances to make an impact.
“Riley is an unabashed favourite of mine, I wish I had three of him, he fought hard and was able to hit the scoreboard – it’s only his second game and he’s only going to get better.
“Charlie was fantastic, Nick went over on his ankle early and was really restricted, and Charlie has generally been our No.1 stopper in defence but more than held his own against a stalwart like Flynn.
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“In the end I turned to Nick and asked him to give me 10-15 minutes in the last quarter and under duress was probably one of the main reasons we were able to turn the game back in our favour.”
Panton Hill will have to quickly refocus as they face the daunting trip to Coventry Oval to face undefeated ladder-leader Diamond Creek in Round 5 and are away again to a rejuvenated St Mary’s in Round 6.
For Lower Plenty, Flynn was excellent in defeat, helping spark the Bears’ third-quarter surge, while Ciaran Porter and Josh Turner were also solid and Riley Alexander kicked three goals.
It will look for its first win of the season when it hosts St Mary’s at Montmorency Park on Saturday.
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