Panthers Remain The Side To Beat

20160523 Soccer — Hungry for the ball … the Panthers delivered a knock-out 7-0 victory against Barambah in the Women’s Division match in Nanango on Saturday, where they took the lion’s share of possession

May 23, 2016

Nanango Panthers’ 1st Division squad continued their unbeaten run on Saturday when opponents Barambah were forced to forfeit the match due to an under strength side.

It was the Panthers’ seventh victory in a row, and Barambah’s seventh loss.

It must also have been a bittersweet moment for Bears fans, who have watched their 1st Division team struggle manfully all season to uphold the side’s honour.

The problem is that this year, for a variety of reasons, Barambah don’t have sufficient players to mount a solid 1st Division side.

As a result, the team’s 2nd Division players have been taking to the field in 1st Division competitions all season, bone-tired after playing their own matches earlier in the day.

While they’ve won praise for their bravery and iron-willed determination, this hasn’t proven to be a winning strategy for either the team or their fans.

After seven rounds of this season’s competition, the Bears are still scoreless and sit firmly at the bottom of the 1st Division table.

Meanwhile Panthers are consolidating their iron fisted grip on the top spot, and remain the team to beat.

*** * ***

However, Saturday’s 2nd Division match between the Panthers and Barambah showed the Bears are clearly not without talent.

The northerners fought the Panthers to a 1-all draw – a very good result, given that the Panthers currently sit at the top of the 2nd Division table and the Bears at the other end.

But in the Women’s Division, the Panthers had a strong win against Barambah, peppering the northerners’ goal mouth with seven strikes and preventing the Bears landing a single goal in reply.

Bree Pogany (4), Raegan Campbell (2) and Glanfa Thompson took the points for the Panthers this week, five better than the 2-nil victory Panthers enjoyed last week when both teams clashed in the President’s Cup.

*** * ***

In Kingaroy, West and Gunners proved more evenly matched, with both teams sharing the points.

In the 2nd Division match, Gunners started the day on a winning note with a 2-1 victory over their rivals.

Both teams had gone into the match with Wests ahead of Gunners on the ladder, but the win has now put the teams into equal second, 3 points behind the Panthers and 3 points ahead of the Bears.

Wests and Gunners will meet twice more before the season moves into the semi-finals.

Given the fierce rivalry between the two Kingaroy teams, these matches promise to be very interesting indeed.

*** * ***

In the Women’s Division, Wests won out over the luckless Gunnettes with a 1-nil victory.

So far this season the Gunnettes have fared much like Barambah’s 1st Division side – they have yet to secure a win or draw and sit scoreless at the bottom of their division’s ladder.

But the reason for their lack of success is quite different.

This year the Gunnettes are fielding a lot of new players, including many who’ve just graduated into the senior league from Cadets.

A lot of these players are finding the senior competition poses new challenges, and the only way to rise above them is to gain experience.

So that’s exactly what the Gunnettes have been doing … week after punishing week.

Like Barambah, the team has drawn praise from spectators for their courage in the face of adversity and their refusal to let their heads drop.

So when they do get a win this season – which they inevitably will – no-one will be surprised if their joy is unbounded, much less begrudge them for it.

*** * ***

In 1st Division, West and Gunners fought their match out to a 2-all draw.

It was another surprise result, given that Wests had gone into the match with less than half the points of their opponents.

Last week in the President’s Cup, Gunners had faced off against the Panthers.

While they lost that particular match 2-1, it was also a victory of sorts against the Division’s unbeaten front-runners that clearly showed the depth of talent in the Gunners side.

That made Wests’ draw with Gunners on Saturday all the sweeter, even though the result has kept the margin between both 1st Division teams precisely the same.

It has also put Gunners on notice that Wests’ side appears to be firming up as the season rolls along.

Wests 1st Division team are clearly a dark horse, and will repay careful watching.

*** * ***

The Kingaroy Senior Soccer Club did its bit to help raise awareness about melanoma on Saturday, and it was greatly appreciated.

All players at Tom Alford Oval wore pink socks on Saturday in memory of Lynda Geiger, and the clubhouse was decorated with pink and yellow balloons.

At 5:30pm, just before the 1st Division teams took to the field, the soccer club presented Trevor Otto and Shelley Winter from the Melanoma Foundation with $600 the special day had raised.

Last week Brett Otto and his father Trevor completed an epic 29-day walk from Gladstone to Kingaroy to raise awareness about the disease, and were accompanied for the final 6km from Crawford to Memorial Park by 250 walkers.

Brett Otto sent his apologies for being unable to attend due to another engagement, but sent his sister Shelley and father Trevor to accept the club’s gift, as well as pass on the Foundation’s thanks for everyone’s help.

Trevor, 72, said the walk was something he was unlikely to ever forget, but the weather had been wonderful throughout and the reception the walkers had received was “absolutely amazing”.

Rob Firman, from the Kingaroy Senior Soccer Club, said Wests and Gunners were both very happy to support the Foundation’s work.

*** * ***

Results – Round 7:

Nanango v Barambah (in Nanango)

Division 2: Nanango 1 (David Ashby) – Barambah 1 (Daure Moses)
Womens Div: Nanango 7 (Bree Pogany 4, Raegan Campbell 2, Glanfa Thompson) – Barambah 0
Division 1: Nanango won on a forfeit

Wests v Gunners (in Kingaroy)