Cougars advance to preliminary final after seven goals from Eric Botha sinks Panthers in cut-throat semi

Kukerin-Dumbleyung secured a preliminary finals berth in the Upper Great Southern Football Association after a seven-goal haul from star forward Eric Botha helped his side eliminate Brookton-Pingelly in Sunday’s first semifinal in Katanning. This Sunday’s preliminary final will be between the Cougars and Katanning after the Wanderers fell short against Williams in last Saturday’s second semifinal. The Cougars won their fourth straight game and are in good form at the right time of the season as they recorded a convincing 42-point victory over the Panthers. Botha was the main avenue to goal in the 17.11 (113) to 11.5 (71) result. The Panthers came out firing, booting the first three goals with the competition’s leading goal kicker Lloyd Padwick in great form up forward. However, the Cougars slotted the next four majors to hit the front before Padwick responded for the Panthers. Ryan Smith strolled into an open goal for the Cougars and then Padwick added another as the sides traded blows in a 12-goal first quarter. The Cougars kicked the last two goals of the first term to lead by 12 points at the first change. It was very contested footy in the second quarter with plenty of stoppages and the ball locked in the Panthers forward half for much of the term. The Panthers took the lead in the second term but a third goal to Botha on the half-time siren ensured the Cougars held a narrow four-point lead at the main break. In the second half it was all the Cougars as they locked the ball in their half and applied great defensive pressure to cause sloppy mistakes from the Panthers. The Cougars extended their lead to 51 points in the third stanza after booting seven unanswered goals and despite the Panthers kicking three goals to one in the last term, their season came to an end. Botha was instrumental with seven goals in the win while Justin and Peter Joyce, Robert Forrest (two goals), Smith and Sam Howie were also key contributors. Padwick booted five in a losing affair while Ethan Smart added three and they were joined in the best players by Brayden Fairhead, Jayden Bootsma, and Lachlan Cruttenden.