THE gulf between the top teams and non-contenders in the Heathcote District Football Netball League was never so evident than at Leitchville on Saturday with Leitchville/Gunbower destroying Elmore to the tune of 133 points, despite adding ruckman Michael Pilcher to their already extensive injury list.
Led by seven goals from Matt Perri and an impressive debut from Tom Brereton, it was apparent by quarter time that the rest of the day was academic with only the extent of the final margin up for grabs.
Pre-game there had been some nervousness as the Bombers had made six changes due to the previous week’s injuries and Elmore had been competitive against Colbinabbin, but a seven goal to nothing first term soon allayed any concerns that this may have been considered a danger game.
Mat Pollock, Daniel Couwenberg and Matt Ladson continued their fine form from the previous week as the Bombers drove the ball forward without great resistance.
Jackson McEwen and Shaun Turvey swept up anything across half back and it was decidedly one-way traffic.
Inclusions Hugh McGillivray and Kyle Rowlands were more than serviceable with McGillivray’s pace and penetrating kicking a feature, while Rowlands was solid in the back pocket.
Seven different goalkickers for the first term and 13 for the game underlined the Bombers’ dominance in a game where the opposition’s best plan was to drag the game into a series of stoppages.
That appeared to be their only plan – avenues to goal and scoring was haphazard to say the least and with the exception of James Harney’ who kicked four of their five goals, Elmore really had no other forward option.
Leading at half-time by 67 points, the Bombers extended their lead during an unattractive third term that had coach Matt Hawken struggling to find positives about the standard of play.
Usually a seven-goal term is above the pass mark, but Hawken felt that the Bombers ball usage and general application had fallen away.
The Bombers responded with a much better style in the last term that netted eight goals and pushed the final margin out to 133 points.
Hawken was happier with the last term and full of praise for the new faces in the side.
“All the boys who came in did well and showed that they were up to senior footy, which is just as well as some of the injured guys may be some weeks away,” he said.
The Bombers travel to Heathcote next week to take on the Saints who also appear to be one of the competition’s strugglers this season.
