Bell Post Hill’s Will Ford slots six as the Panthers beat Thomson by 14 points

An accurate 7.1 after half time has seen Bell Post Hill knock off a premiership favourite by 14 points in an ideal preparation for a GDFL finals assault.

A cohesive Bell Post Hill will hit the finals with supreme confidence having now beaten top team Thomson twice during the GDFL home and away season.

The Panthers’ Nick Costello, who has missed the past two rounds due to a calf complaint, said the club was starting to gel at the perfect time after numerous injuries to key players during the 2023 campaign.

With Will Ford kicking six, the Panthers were particular accurate after the main break, slotting 7.1 to the Tigers’ 6.8, eventually winning 13.7 (85) to 10.11 (71).

Will Ford kicked six goals for Bell Post Hill. Picture: Mark Wilson

The Panthers also beat Thomson by a solitary point on their home deck back in May.

Costello said his side had given the forward line plenty of opportunities to score, with Ford providing the finishing touches.

“Will Ford has been unreal this year,” Costello said.

“It was pretty vital for our group (to win), to keep that belief going.

“We’ve knocked off Thomson twice this year.

“The boys just played with confidence ... at this time of year, there’s no dead rubber games.

“You’ve got to have good form, you’ve got to keep your momentum going.”

Jack Yates celebrates a goal for the Panthers. Picture: Mark Wilson

With the Panthers, also missing ruckman Renn Lovitt, often beating the Tigers on the outside, Costello said his side’s fitness was “on show” at Myers Reserve.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, a lot of in and out all year, our side’s starting to get really settled,” he said.

“That cohesion just showed.”

Costello said he expected to return next week for a week one of the finals against Inverleigh, with Bell Post Hill winning the past four games in a row.

Earlier, the Panthers held a 26-point lead at the first break at Myers Reserve.

However, the Tigers kept chipping away at the lead to trail by just a straight kick at three quarter time.

But a 4.0 to 2.4 final term was pivotal in Bell Post Hill’s 14-point victory.

Both teams banked 15 wins for the year with only nine percentage points separating the pair.

Thomson, which finished the season in first place, will have next Saturday off.

Originally published as Bell Post Hill’s Will Ford slots six as the Panthers beat Thomson by 14 points