Panton Hill storms home to hand Diamond Creek it’s first loss of the NFNL Division 2 season

They stood tall in little moments and big moments alike. Several Panton Hill players came up clutch as the Redbacks stormed home to stun Diamond Creek.

Ollie Parks kicks the match-winning goal against Diamond Creek. Picture: BlueStream Pictures

Is this Panton Hill’s greatest win in NFNL Division 2?

The Redbacks came from 21 points down at three-quarter-time to stun undefeated ladder-leader Diamond Creek by a single point at Cracknell Reserve on Saturday.

The home team kicked four goals to nil in the fourth quarter to storm home, winning 12.14 (86) to 11.19 (85), and hand the Creekers their first loss of the year.

Ollie Parks was the hero, slotting a clutch goal from the boundary line to put his team in front with only minutes remaining.

Skipper Riley Livingstone then took a game-saving mark to hold off a desperate last Diamond Creek surge.

Panton Hill coach Simon Amore said it was among the club’s best wins ever.

“From a Division 2 point of view, it’s right up there,” Amore said.

“It probably eclipses the one a couple of years ago against them at their ground, it’s nice to go it in front of our fans and with the margin what it was.

“We spoke about it pre-game, this is a fantastic outfit and as well coached as any, and as big a challenge as any but we wanted to lean into that and be excited by the opportunity.

“They’re going to give a team a look at some stage, so why not us, and if they do be brave enough to capitalise on it.

“It was really, really pleasing – a result the majority of people didn’t expect.”

Kicking with the wind, Diamond Creek jumped out to a 15-point lead at quarter-time but will rue several missed opportunities, kicking 3.6.

The Redbacks then took full advantage of the wind, if inaccurate themselves, piling on 6.6 to take a seven-point advantage into half-time.

The visitors booted five goals in the third, but critically, the hosts were able to stay in touch at the final change.

Young gun Jacob Jewitt booted two critical goals, while Ethan Gorski showed his versatility in a new role in attack, before Parks’ match-winning kick.

“That was the most pleasing part, our willingness to stay in the contest and the boys showing the grit and determination to get over the line,” Amore said.

“The opposition is as good as it gets in our division but we kept the belief, to respond in the second and fourth quarters after being challenged in the first and third was really pleasing.”

Jewitt, fresh out of under-16s last year, was named best-on-ground and finished with three majors.

Parks, Stefan Klepp, Riley Cousins, Gorski (three goals) and Todd Johnston also shone.

“Young Jake has been fantastic, a young boy we brought across from Eltham,” Amore said.

“He’s only 17 but has a big body, 6’2, and can physically match it at senior level.

“He’s got a great pair of hands, kicked two late goals which were so important, so to do that off a wing and have the impact he did was really impressive.

“With the injuries we’ve had, it gives players opportunities, and Stef and Todd have stepped up and flourished.

“Both of them are strong at the contest and super fit, we wanted to close down their prime-movers at the contest and they were able to do that and then work back the other way.”

The Redbacks’ mid-season recruit Ryan Sizeland made his debut against his old club.

For Diamond Creek, Bronson Hill was best afield, along with Andrew White, Blake Wylie and Brodie Watson.

Panton Hill lost key forward Tom Blake to a knee reconstruction before the bye.

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However, it hopes to have Hotak Akram and Jason Pannam back in time for next week’s clash with St Mary’s at Cracknell Reserve with co-captain Sam Parks and Mitch Buckley also nearing a return.

At the half-way mark of the season, the Redbacks sit seventh, now just one game outside the top-five.

Elsewhere in Division 2, Jack Ciccita’s 10 goals powered St Mary’s to a 105-point win over Lower Plenty and Thomastown proved too good for Old Paradians with a 33-point win.

Macleod made light work of Watsonia, winning by 79 points, and Whittlesea eased past Northcote Park by 54.