Brendan Lines 22-6-2016

GAWLER Central spearhead Brad Mercer was merciless in booting 13 goals, as his side crushed a hapless Angaston by 122 points in the weekend’s BL&G A grade football clash at the Dog Track.

The dominant win saw the Tigers post their biggest victory of the season with a new-look side.

The second half of the 2016 BL&G season kicked off with Tigers’ coach Damien Herzick fielding a team that featured five changes to the side that last played.
Among the changes were debutants Hayden Schloithe and Tyson Duffield.

Central’s big men asserted themselves early, with Craig Jamar dominating the centre clearances and Kirk Heberle setting up play from half-back.

However, Central was not as efficient going forward as their coach might have liked.
Angaston offered resistance with defenders Jamahl McKenzie, Jack Miles and Alexander Brackstone committing to the cause.

The Tigers’ forward harassment eventually paid off, with Charlie Molyneaux scoring the first of his three majors for the match.
Goals began to pile on for the Tigers, with Brad Mercer and Corey Solly enjoying some fine forward delivery.

By the 18-minute mark of the first quarter, Angaston had still not made an inside-50 entry. In the end, the Panthers scored one goal in the first term as the Tigers established a 29-point lead.

Panthers’ coach Paul Sherwood demanded
a response, urging his players to “react and pick up your man; I want aggressive accountability”.

The Tigers remained on the front foot, with Molyneaux scoring early, despite Brackstone’s handy marking in defence for the Panthers.

Mercer scored two goals out of five for the quarter, but the Panthers remained competitive with two majors to McKenzie.

Brandon Downie staved off the Panthers’ attacks and looks to be a player of the future for the Tigers.
Mercer continued to capitalise for the Tigers and, by half-time, the lead had stretched out to 63 points.

Sherwood implored his squad to “keep up the hard work and man up” and Angaston responded, steadying with poise up forward to score through John Roesler and Jack Miles.
Mercer had his own agenda piling on another five goals for the quarter and the Panthers had no match for him.

By three-quarter-time, the margin was 84 points and, showing no quarter, Herzick told his players to “make the most of the opportunity and win it the right way”.
Central applied pressure with direct kicking and maintainance of possession, and Molyneaux, Mercer and Edwards led by example with plenty of goals.

Forward pressure was provided by clearances from Jamar and some handy play by Schloithe across half- forward.
The Panthers will be licking their wounds this week, as they prepare to play Willaston.
The victory came at a slight cost for the Tigers, with Jason Blakemore leaving the game having aggravated a shoulder injury and in some doubt as his side prepares for a top-of-the-table contest against Barossa District this Saturday.

https://www.bunyippress.com.au/merciless-tigers-drill-panthers/