SL1 Mens Report vs Greensborough

The Waverley Panthers ventured out to Greensborough this week hoping to notch up their second win in 3 rounds. Waverley got off to another great start putting the Greensborough defence on to the back foot early. Simon Preston and Tim Wischusen were again providing strong attacks down the left and right flanks worrying the Greensborough defence with their elimination skills and superior pace. After having the majority of play in their attack Waverley found the scoreboard through a clinically executed penalty corner by Stephen Jarvis, drag flicking the ball low into the corner.

The goal seemed to rattle Greensborough and with the Panthers turning up the pressure, Greensborough found themselves making uncharacteristic mistakes in deep defence allowing the Panthers to continue penetrate their attacking circle. As Swindells, Wischusen began to tighten the noose on the defence, they provided an opportunity for Travis Brooks to capitalise on their hard work, with Wischusen dispossessing their Right Half, squirting an early ball to Brooks who found himself in acres of space and was able to waltz in and drill the ball past the keeper.

With Waverley having full ascendancy on the game and the Greensborough defence under the pump, Waverley had put themselves in an ideal position to run away with the game. Disappointingly and like weeks preceding, the final minutes of the first half saw the Panthers concede a late goal, giving Greensborough a sniff going into the second half with the scores at 2-1.

The second half saw Waverley continue to dominate with Wes Moore and Jarrod Page through the midfield setting up wave after wave of attack. However the number of opportunities that weren’t converted to goals became worrying and with each miss, Greensborough’s belief began to grow. They began stringing passes together and their off the ball running had the Panthers struggling to keep up. After having such a stranglehold on the game, a shocked Waverley saw the equalising goal slotted by Greensborough, and now it was the Panthers turn to ride out the storm.

The defence lead by Corey Joseph and Matthugh Freeman, stood strong, but there was only so much they could do holding off assault after assault by the opposition. Unlike Waverley, Greensborough converted their opportunities and scored twice in quick succession leaving the Panthers stunned with the scoreline 4-2 down with 10 minutes to go.

Needing a spark to get the Panthers outfit up and about again, newcomer Lewis Matthews stepped up controlling the ball on a string through the midfield and kick-starting the Waverley fight back. Still defending a persistent Greensborough, Waverley needed to score and score fast. Stephen Jarvis found the net again with a powerful drag flick from a penalty corner, but it turned out to be too little, too late as the Panthers went down 4-3 to Greensborough.