SWFL 2022: Carey Park end home and away season with a road win over Donnybrook

Carey Park have finished their season on a high with a gutsy road win over Donynbrook at VC Mitchell Park on Sunday.

The Panthers were able to hold on and record their fifth win of the year against the seventh-placed Dons, 9.8 (62) to 6.9 (45).

Donnybrook headed into the weekend still with a mathematical chance of making the top five, but by Saturday afternoon wins to Eaton and Harvey had ended those dreams and made the match a dead rubber.

Carey Park showed early they had come to play and were looking to take points from the road trip and led 2.1 (13) to 1.1 (7) at the first break.

Classy ball users Jaxon Bell, Connor Gadecki and Rory O’Brien gave the Panthers plenty of drive going forward and they led the Dons 5.3 (33) to 3.2 (20) at the main break.

After half time, Carey Park continued to pile on the pressure and kicked another two majors to lead 7.5 (47) to 3.5 (23) at the final change.

Jacob Kendle, Jake Anderson and Jack Wheeler did their best to provide a spark for the Dons but the home side struggled to get clean ball out of the middle.

Goals to Donnybrook forwards Zac Trigwell and Luke Skehan got the home side back within three goals midway through the final term, but two goals in as many minutes to Panthers star Kelvin Lawrence halted the Dons’ momentum.

The win means the Panthers ended the 2022 SWFL home and away season in eighth place with five wins — one less than last season.

Donnybrook finished the season in seventh placed with seven wins after recording just three victories in 2021.