Upset victory sweet as Pies
PALMERSTON lifted themselves off the bottom of the NTFL ladder with an upset 35- point victory over an injury- ravaged Southern Districts at TIO Stadium yesterday.
The Crocs led at quartertime but soon lost competition leading goal-kicker Damian Cupido ( calf) and Keegan Dingo (shoulder) to game-ending injuries as the Pies outclassed their opponents 19.17 (131) to 13.8 (96).
It was the Pies’ second win in the past three weeks and had all the makings of a young team on the rise.
Captain Pierce Liddle, who was reported for striking Dean Staunton before a later head clash between the two left both players with a nasty head gash, said it was pleasing to see the side starting to get reward for effort.
‘‘We are a really young side and there were a lot of nerves at the start of the season,’’ he said.
‘‘We have a whole crop of 18-year-olds that can’t play in the under- 18s anymore so they are having to step up in the seniors.
‘‘ Throughout the season we’ve played one quarter of good footy and then lapsed (but) I think we are starting to gel now.
‘‘We’re trying to work on the difference between our best and our worst players. I think today there wasn’t a big gap — everyone is starting to play their part in the team.’’
Things looked dangerous for the Pies early when Troy Taylor bagged two goals in the first three minutes of the game to immediately put them on the back foot.
But Palmerston soon settled before Cupido pulled up short on a lead at the eightminute mark of the second, just as the Pies reversed a quarter-time deficit to lead by 18 points at half-time. Blake Grant got the important first goal of the second half as the Pies added another four goals to two in the third term.
Cameron Cloke, who had earlier marked Cupido, registered two for the quarter as they edged further in front. Districts made a charge in the last quarter, kicking the first two to get within 15 points.
But midfielder Jack Shannahan intercepted a kick-in for his first major and then set up Alwyn Davey for his third to rubber- stamp the confidence-boosting win.