Australian Football

Match Report

The last match to close out the weekend's proceedings would take place at the Alberton Oval where the Magpies took on the Panthers. These sides traded blows in their games last year for one win each, the Panthers taking out the Round 3 victory at Noarlunga by nine points, while the 'Pies withstood a final term comeback to win by 13 points at Alberton in Round 18. The Magpies led by three goals at the final change and then found themselves down a goal going into time-on. They would kick 3.1 and hold South scoreless in the remaining time to secure the win. The Magpies were hammered hard by the Crows last week in their mini-Showdown by just over 10 goals, while the Panthers held off a gallant Bulldogs to win by five points at home.

The first half was an all out battle, with the lead never at any point exceeding a couple of straight kicks. The Panthers' sprayed a trio of chances late in the opening quarter, allowing the Magpies to lead by five points at the quarter-time siren with the scoreboard reading 5.2 to 4.3. It was Port's turn to have some goal-kicking issues in the second term as the Panthers took over the lead by half-time, they scored 5.3 to 3.7 to go into the rooms with a three-point lead at the break. Port started off on the right note in the second half, dominating possession and territory for over 23 minutes of the third quarter. They would be ahead by as much as 28 points into added time, but then three goals in five minutes for the Panthers put their lead in jeopardy going into the final change. At three quarter-time, Port were ahead by 10 points. Amazing what five minutes can do! The home side kicked the first goal of the final term and everyone in the crowd would have been forgiven for thinking that Port had perhaps steadied themselves. Wrong! The Magpies would find nothing but behinds from here, putting through five behinds while the Panthers scored 5.1, two of those in the dying moments of the game to seal a memorable 10-point victory. J

ye Menzie may prove a revelation for South with his six goals, but it was Bryce Gibbs' 39 disposals and 10 clearances that got him best afield honours for the blue & whites. In similar fashion, Jeremy Finlayson's six goals were still outdone by Port BOG Trent Dumont's 21 disposals and 12 tackles.