LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER has climbed to the top of the Heathcote District Football Netball League ladder following a comprehensive 47-point win over rivals North Bendigo at Gunbower on Saturday.
Led by a dynamic on-ball brigade containing Lee Pollock, Bart Walsh and Tom German, the Bombers led at every change in a hard tackling and accountable performance that slowly but surely suffocated the reigning premiers.
Missing some key personal, the Bulldogs looked a shadow of the side that defeated the Bombers in their last three encounters but nonetheless were expected by many in the Bendigo orientated press to still come away with a victory .
The swagger and confidence evident in their first round defeat of the Bombers at Atkins Street was missing as it quickly became apparent that last season’s minor premiers and grand finalists were hungry for revenge.
Pressure around the stoppages denied North Bendigo the ball in close and with the Bomber smaller brigade seemingly skipping on top of the heavy ground once out of the packs, the home side was away.
Adam Deccicio, Jackson McEwen, Daniel Coates and Will Brereton blitzed the Bulldogs with their pace and dedicated attack on the ball sweeping it forward where Matt Perri led defenders a merry dance with two first quarter goals.
Pollock snagged a goal courtesy of a long ball in from Ryan Prendergast, who with fellow defenders Hoby Bussey and Steve Pretty, were following the team plan to the letter, dragging North Bendigo’s forwards up the ground.
German was the beneficiary of another Pollock hit out and goaled and it took a late goal from Sean Morris to keep the Bulldogs within reach – with the visitors 13 points down at quarter time.
Morris again scored at the start of the second term to pull the Bulldogs closer, but from there it was all the Bombers as Sam Kennedy, Daniel Couwenberg and Tim Lincoln stepped up a gear with Kennedy prominent with two goals.
Drew Bartram and Ben Meroli both relished the heavy going and with defensive blankets Kieran Treacy and Dan Meroli on top, the Bombers had no passengers as they ground out a 33-point half-time lead.
While certainly absorbing, the game hadn’t reached great heights in terms of skill and North Bendigo looked pretty flat following on from its victory over Huntly the previous weekend.
Many expected the Bulldogs to come out snarling in the second half, but it was the Bombers who made the running with Couwenberg and Deccicio goaling, the latter with a terrific snap.
Perri maintained his pressure on the North Bendigo backs and added another brace of goals to his first quarter tally, taking his season total to a credible 31 and well on the way to eclipsing lasts year’s haul of 59 .
Prendergast and his fellow defenders continued to suffocate North Bendigo’s forwards and without their twin towers – Sam Barnes and Brady Herdman – functioning, the Bulldogs lacked alternative scoring options .
Three-quarter time saw the Bombers 47 points up, which would become the final margin as both sides went through the motions in the last quarter – the only significant highlight a sensational mark of the year contender from Brereton late in the game, which was unfortunately not converted into the goal it deserved.
Colbinabbin away is the Bombers’ next test and if they can overcome the Grasshoppers, top spot for the rest of the year could well be achievable.
