Panthers huge first term helps down Giants

KILCUNDA BASS, following a road loss to rivals Phillip Island, were desperate to get back on the winner’s list when they hosted Korumburra Bena at the Bass Recreation Reserve on Saturday. 

The Giants won the first clearance and looked dangerous inside 50, but the early momentum was stolen swiftly by Kye Benson who moved the ball rapidly through the middle and into the hands of spearhead Taylor Gibson.

Gibson kicked truly to open the game’s scoring with his first major, sparking a Panthers onslaught as they poured on six unanswered goals with ease.

Nathan Foote and the Killy’ Bass midfielders were having an absolute field day, getting silver service from star ruckman Dale Gawley who was getting plenty of the ball himself, supplying their forwards with perfect entry passes and moving the ball with speed and focus. 

To the Giants credit though, despite what was really a near perfect first quarter performance from their opponents, they kept fighting hard and eventually saw their first goal of the afternoon pass through the big sticks off the boot of Zach Walker. 

In the second quarter, things only got uglier for the young Giants line up, as the Panthers through the dominance of Gawley and Foote, continued to tear them apart through the middle of the ground, supplying almost indefensible entries to their dangerous forwards. 

The Panther small forwards got themselves into the game after Gibson and McRae’s dominance in the opening term, crumbing and finishing with flair to see their side increase their lead with a second consecutive nine-goal-to-one quarter. 

Byron Walker was able to get Korumburra Bena on the board again with their second major of the afternoon after some inaccuracy, rewarding the hard work of Jay Walker who was once again giving his side tones of grunt and run in the middle of the ground. 

Thanks to their 18 first half goals, the home side took a 95-point lead into the main break. 

The giant heart of the Korumburra Bena side shone through once again as they pulled off a miraculous turnaround, halting the Panthers, who ran rampant in the opening half, to just one solitary goal in the third term, while booting two of the own to win the quarter. 

Kilcunda Bass, after moving the ball with the ultimate precision in the first half, began to just bomb it away inside 50, playing right into the hands of Lachlan Smith and Christian Sewell of Korumburra Bena.

The ‘Giant’ fightback did change the game but was unable to really impact the result or the lead, which stood at 93-points at the final change. 

The hosts were able to hold possession inside their attacking half for much of the final term and kick away thanks to the class of Benson and some late game form, to cap off a huge 127-point win.