IT didn’t quite have the feel of such a thrashing as the scoreline indicated, yet for Leitchville/Gunbower, Saturday’s 107-point Heathcote District Football Netball League win against Lockington Bamawm United was a welcome return to form after losses in the opening two rounds.
Bombers coach, Matt Hawken was a relieved man post-game with his side showing much more of their 2015 form in dominating a struggling Cats side.
“We had more blokes putting in for the four quarters and less cameo types this week,” he said.
“That being said, we are still some way off being at our best, but we now should build from this performance.
“Our intensity and pressure was really good for the first half when the game was up for grabs, then we dropped off in the third, which was a bit disappointing.”
The Bombers started well with Matt Perri (four goals) back to his elusive best and new recruit, Sam Kennedy – a focal point with some strong marks at half forward – giving the visitors an early lead.
For the first time this season the Bombers set the agenda, tackling well and moving the ball with purpose.
Quarter time saw the visitors four goals up with the struggling Cats unable to penetrate a tighter Bomber defence that displayed both composure and flair.
The composure component was aided by the addition of reliable Dan Meroli while the flair came in the form of Daniel Coates, whose strong marking and sure kicking launched many of the Bomber attacks.
In the midfield, Leitchville/Gunbower’s onballers took control with Daniel Couwenberg shading the dangerous Matt Bongiovanni and both Tom German and Bart Walsh finding plenty of the ball.
Jackson McEwen and Jimmy Brereton provided bite around the packs and with Tim Lincoln and Jack Dye providing alternative forward options, the Bombers were in total control.
By half-time the contest was all but over, with the Bombers kicking seven second term goals and establishing a 62-point lead.
Hawken may well have expected his side to continue on improving their style of play, but perhaps the warm conditions and soft and in places strangely sodden surface took a toll on the visitors.
Hawken wasn’t impressed with his sides third term. Although the lead steadily increased, the coach rightly sensed that accountability and teamwork had dropped off.
Accuracy, too, deserted the Bombers, derailing the opportunity to replicate the massive victory achieved by the reserves earlier in the day.
Not many sides holding an 83-point three-quarter time lead would be reminded as much of their deficiencies as the Bombers were by their coach.
The final term again saw the visitors do enough to extend the final margin to 107 points, with the last quarter also lacking the attractiveness of the first half.
“Good to get the win …plenty to improve on but much better signs than the first couple of weeks,” was Hawken’s post-match assessment.
Hawken was also impressed with the reserves performance noting the attitude and performance of the senior players omitted from the previous weeks side.
“The blokes we dropped worked hard and have put themselves in line for selection again, which is what as a club you want.”
The win sets up the chance to go 2-2 this weekend, with the Bombers hosting the winless White Hills at Leitchville this Saturday.
