Inaccuracy proved costly for South Adelaide, as Glenelg led from start to finish to record a comfortable 22-point win at Magain Stadium.

The Bays made a bright start in the opening term and came close to soccering through the first goal, only for a desperate diving smother from Jesse Nye to force a rushed behind.

South quickly went end-to-end, moving the ball with pace along the wing. Ben Dittmar broke out the back and streamed towards goal, but instead of going himself, he attempted to find a teammate in the square. The pass, however, bounced awkwardly for Hudson Voigt, who couldn’t keep it in play.

Both sides generated early chances, but it was the visitors who struck first through a long-range effort from Tim Alver.

South Adelaide responded immediately. Nye hunted the ball with intent, stepped around a defender, and released a handball to Dittmar, who found Harry Wadewitz on the lead.

Wadewitz’s set shot from 35 metres on a tight angle just missed to the near side, but the momentum was beginning to shift.

Despite some sharp ball movement, South became their own worst enemy, squandering several scoring opportunities that could have seen them take the lead for the first time.

Dittmar missed a set shot, Nye was just off target on the run, and a series of rushed behinds took their tally to five behinds for the term.

Tom Simpson and Archie Van Dyk were lively around the contest, playing key linking roles in South’s ball movement.

Much of the drive from half-back came via Kai Clark, who used his foot skills to break lines and launch attacking chains.

But South’s missed chances came back to haunt them, with Glenelg kicking back-to-back goals late in the term to extend their lead to 14 points.

Dittmar had a chance to break the goal drought just before the siren, but his shot drifted across the face for South’s sixth behind.

At quarter-time, Glenelg held a 13-point lead.

The second term began as an arm wrestle, with both sides increasing the pressure and refusing to give an inch.

Ethan Sheppard’s tenacious tackling denied Glenelg a clear shot at goal and provided some much-needed relief.

Despite South’s resolve, Glenelg eventually broke through after the six-minute mark, with Ned McCarthy snapping his second of the day.

Frontal pressure in attack soon created a golden chance for the Panthers. A hurried Glenelg clearance went out on the full, giving Voigt a look at goal.

His right-foot snap was low and mishit, but a mix-up on the line between the Glenelg defender and goal umpire allowed Kody Shortridge to gather and convert from point-blank range.

Kodah Edwards didn’t rack up his usual numbers, but the powerful midfielder remained impactful when he had the ball in hand and attacked the ball with tenacity.

The rest of the quarter saw the teams trade goals, with Simpson capping off a slick chain of play with a composed set shot, cancelling out Jacob McNicol’s earlier major.

A late goal to Koby Moir just before the siren was a cruel blow for the home side, who had improved their efficiency in front of goal. Nevertheless, the Bays took a 22-point lead into the main break.

Glenelg came out firing after half-time, slamming on three quick goals and stretching their lead to a match-high 47 points, threatening to run away with the contest.

South needed a lift, and Van Dyk provided it. Leading strongly and marking just inside 50 on a slight angle, he played on and launched from long range, his kick sailing through to give the Panthers a much-needed boost.

However, Glenelg responded swiftly, piling on two more goals to once again stretch the margin to 47 points.

Despite the scoreboard pressure, Jackson Collins and Elliott Duffield held strong in defence, while Brady McDonald provided valuable rebound from the back half.

With final break approaching, an errant bounce gave South a late opportunity. After a frustrating day in front of goal, Dittmar marked close to home and converted, trimming the deficit slightly.

At the final change, Glenelg led by 41 points — a margin that appeared almost insurmountable.

With nothing to lose, South threw everything at the contest in the final term. They came close to scoring within 30 seconds, but Shortridge’s snap from close range drifted wide.

Although the result was beyond reach, South continued to compete fiercely, with Simpson leading the way in tackles and setting the tone for his teammates.

Wadewitz and Cameron Woods both had tough set shots they couldn’t convert, but persistence would eventually pay off for South Adelaide.

A strong tackle from Wadewitz led to Voigt’s second goal, while a hard-running effort through the middle from Woods allowed Edwards to finish from close range.

Shortridge intercepted a Glenelg clearance at half-forward to set up the final goal of the match — Edwards finishing via a long-range snap for his second.

When the siren sounded, it capped off a frustrating day for South Adelaide. While they showed promise in patches and continued to fight, Glenelg’s polish and conversion in key moments proved the difference in a 22-point win.

After a well-earned break, South Adelaide will need to be at their best when they take on ladder leaders Sturt at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 2 August at 1:50pm.

South Adelaide suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Glenelg, with the visitors restricting the Panthers to just two goals and cruising to a dominant 58-point win at Magain Stadium.

The opening stages of the first quarter were tense but lacked polish and attacking reward.

Midfielders Hudson Boal and Sam Walsh started brightly, winning contested possessions and driving South forward.

After several scrappy passages of play, South eventually broke through Glenelg’s defence, with Kyan Kemp-Laundy gathering and nailing the game’s first goal on the run.

With finals aspirations on the line, both sides were desperate for the win — the loser facing an uphill battle for the remainder of the season.

Despite some determined defensive efforts from Dale Shearer and Riley Watchman, Glenelg found the equaliser with a sharp snap from the top of the goal square.

Strong tackling during a forward stoppage opened the door for Oliver South, who gathered cleanly and snapped goalward. A harsh bounce nearly created the unlikeliest of goals, with the ball bouncing at right-angles and striking the inside of the post for a behind.

The post again denied South moments later, with Hewston Fitzgerald following up his dropped mark in the pocket and snapping on his left, only to see it ricochet off the woodwork.

Two late behinds to Glenelg levelled the scores at the first break, capping off a hard-fought and low-scoring opening term.

Glenelg asserted themselves early in the second quarter, missing two early chances before finally converting in the seventh minute to take the lead.

South’s backline came under relentless pressure. Lachlan Gill consistently put his head over the ball in defence, while Shearer’s spoiling was a standout.

Despite their efforts, Glenelg’s precise ball movement repeatedly pierced South’s structure, resulting in another goal and a 14-point lead.

In the ruck, Max Gregor battled hard to give his midfielders first use, with Caleb Hyland and Boal reaping the benefits of his tap work.

However, South Adelaide struggled to string together effective ball movement, as Glenelg’s relentless pressure continued to create scoring opportunities.

The scoreboard damage could have been worse if not for Glenelg’s inaccuracy, with three consecutive behinds keeping the margin under three goals.

At half-time, Glenelg had extended their lead to 17 points while holding South scoreless for the quarter. Still, there was plenty of time left in the match.

South needed the first goal of the third term to ignite a comeback, but the worst-case scenario unfolded — the Bays scored within the opening minute.

Jayce Potter continued to provide rebound from defence with his precision kicking, but South struggled to build meaningful chains of possession due to Glenelg’s strong defensive setup.

South’s usual creators inside 50 were unable to impose themselves on the contest, though Nathan Flesfadar made the most of his limited touches.

The intensity of Logan Edwards and Hyland around the contest offered brief sparks, with both leading the way in tackles.

Glenelg continued to dominate general play, adding a goal and five behinds for the term, while South again failed to hit the scoreboard.

At the final break, Glenelg had stretched their lead to 34 points. A miracle final quarter would be needed for South to claw their way back.

With little to lose, South threw caution to the wind. Lucas Marshall looked for Joel Wigzell, who presented well all day without reward.

The ball dropped short, but Wigzell gathered and hacked it forward to Campbell-Kearney, whose clever handball found Shearer. Unfortunately, his snap drifted narrowly wide.

Glenelg capitalised on the miss, transitioning swiftly from end to end to score the first goal of the final term and all but seal the result.

A brilliant run-down tackle by Walsh at centre-half forward created a rare opportunity, and his kick found Shearer on the lead. The swingman made no mistake, converting just South’s second goal of the day.

But Glenelg’s forward efficiency was ruthless in the last term, kicking four straight goals to blow the margin out to a game-high 57 points.

South created a couple of late chances to add respectability to the scoreboard, but both Wigzell and Shearer missed set shots from close range.

As the final siren sounded, it was clear it wasn’t South Adelaide’s day. Glenelg’s 58-point win keeps their season alive and sends a strong message heading into the final rounds.

After this weekend’s bye, South Adelaide will face fellow finals hopeful Sturt at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 2 August at 11:30am.