NORTHCOTE PARK took another step forward in its quest for a place in the finals with a comfortable victory over an undermanned Eltham at Bill Lawry Oval.
Despite a dour first-half arm wrestle, the Cougars were able to skip away in the second half with nine unanswered goals to walk away with a 14.13 (97) to 5.10 (40) win.
The victory is Northcote Park’s second in succession, improving its record to 6-4 to cement itself within the Division 1 top five.
Northcote Park playing-coach Harmit Singh was buoyed by his side’s performance against one of its challengers for a finals berth.
“We were tested early and then our response after half time was pretty good,” Singh said.
“It was important (to win). We’ve had a tough couple of weeks in terms of some close losses and responded pretty well last week.
“Today was a massive test against a really good side and it’s pleasing to win.”
Patrick O’Connell starred for the Cougars, proving an ever-present threat up forward and slotting five goals.
VFL-listed Cougar Ryan Pendlebury played a major role in the win, rebounding with precision and ease to create a number of Northcote Park’s forward thrusts.
Singh was pleased with his side’s defensive pressure, containing the Panthers to their lowest score since Round 16 last season.
“It was really pleasing against a very high-scoring side to restrict them to 40 points and I don’t think that was the result of our back six – I think our pressure all around the ground was pretty good.
“We were embarrassed the last time we played Eltham and I think we acquitted ourselves a lot better today.”
Eltham’s loss was compounded by injuries to key pair Anton Woods and Jamie Smith. Woods limped off in the first quarter with a quad injury, whilst Smith was helped from the field after a centre bounce contest with severe ankle damage.
The injuries left the Panthers two rotations down for much of the second half, with the visitors unable to match Northcote Park’s run and intensity.
Eltham was far more competitive in the opening half and entered the first change with a slender two-point lead.
O’Connell broke the deadlock after an even start with consecutive set shots, however Chase Caulfield and Bradyn Taglieri both finished difficult chances to give the Panthers a quarter time lead.
Beginning to assert itself on the contest, Eltham snared the first major after quarter time through James Kroussoratis to open up an eight-point buffer.
Both sides were sloppy going forward and missed targets, with Northcote Park unable to kick a major until Lachlan Boscarini finally converted from 40 metres in the shadows of half time.
Boscarini’s goal gave Northcote Park impetus and Jake Mills delivered a sucker punch to Eltham with a post-siren major to give the Cougars a seven-point lead at the main break.
Eltham continued to stick with Northcote Park after the restart as both sides traded goals, however Aaron Di Matteo bucked the trend with an uplifting goal on the run to spark a quick flurry of Cougar goals.
O’Connell steered through his fifth of the day, before Bryn Barnes-Webb kicked truly to extend the margin to 25 points at three quarter time.
With Eltham tiring, Mills again delivered a telling blow in the opening minute of the final term to effectively end the contest.
The Cougars continued to press and blew the margin out to 57 points on the back of four further goals.
Northcote Park will look to notch its third win on the trot when it travels to face Lower Plenty in Round 11, whilst Eltham will return home to take on Montmorency at Panther Place.
Final score: Northcote Park 14.13 (97) def Eltham 5.10 (40)
