Sizzling start a winner

FIRST-YEAR Bell Post Hill coach Steve Lewry paid tribute to his side’s “manic pressure” moments after the Panthers captured a convincing 15.12 (102) to 6.14 (50) sudden-death semi-final win over Thomson.

After falling against Inverleigh a week earlier, the Panthers came out firing yesterday with seven of the game’s opening eight goals.

“I didn’t sleep going into this game and that’s what losses do to you, you struggle when you have a loss. But our group was resilient and we did a lot of bonding on Tuesday night,” Lewry said.

“You could tell that they had steel faces on this occasion and thankfully everyone played their role today on the bench and off the bench.

“If you can win a majority of your contests at a ground like St Albans, then you’re going to come close to kicking a scoreline like that and we’re very happy with this result.”

Justin Tarr, who suffered a long-term ankle injury when these two sides met in Round 5, finished the afternoon with four goals, while fellow forward Jayden Ettridge also contributed. Yesterday also marked the return of Travis Fursland to senior football after nine weeks and he was named in the best behind the dominant Adrian Fantella.

“Travis was so clean, he is a dead-set asset to us and we’ll welcome back Ash Witney after we rested him this week,” Lewry said. “Tim Barton also came back from a midweek knee injury and Jake Barlow was superb until he rolled his ankle and I thought we were good all over the ground.”

Inverleigh players Jack Fiolet and Ryan Garrard watched on with interest as Thomson’s Chris Scott continued to tag David Holzfeind after the Panther finished runner-up in the Whitley Medal.

“David Holzfeind wouldn’t have even known he finished runner-up, he is that humble of a person that he’s unaware of that sort of stuff,” Lewry said.

“He (Holzfeind) actually copped the same gastro that the Macleod boys had during the week, which was worrying, but he did enough today as well.”