LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER recorded an eighth consecutive Heathcote District Football Netball League win of the season on Saturday, defeating fellow premiership aspirant, Colbinabbin by 34 points in a tough and physical contest at a heavy M.J. Morgan Oval.
The win means the Bombers are equal with Huntly on eight wins for the season, but last season’s minor premiers relinquished top spot on the ladder after the Hawks accounted for Lockington Bamawm United by 121 points.
The match at Colbinabbin reaffirmed the Bombers as a premiership contender, with Matt Hawken’s men holding a 3-2 record against the competition’s three premiership challengers – North Bendigo, the Grasshoppers and the Hawks – with the team yet to meet Huntly for a second time.
Memories of the Bombers’ round two loss to Colbinabbin were stirred early in the match as Grasshoppers’ coach, Nick Knight kicked two early goals and appeared to be on course to repeat his best on ground effort the first time the sides met.
The Bombers hit back with goals into the breeze from Lee Pollock and Steve Pretty and then another to Jack Dye – the result of a terrific chain of possession – that gave the Bombers the lead.
Grant Weeks wrested the lead back for the home side, then Tim Lincoln replied for the Bombers as the ball moved around the sodden oval at a surprising pace with generally good skill levels.
A late goal to Colbinabbin saw scores level at quarter time with optimism running high in the Bombers camp, given that they had matched Colbinabbin while facing into the breeze.
Led by dynamic onball duo Tom German and Bart Walsh, Leitchville/Gunbower attacked relentlessly and inaccurately for most of the second term.
Sam Kennedy and Matt Perri were prominent up forward as much for their poor kicking as good marking as the Bombers piled on the points.
Ayden Walton had a chance to break a run of five misses and did everything correctly in terms of kicking the ball through the goals from a short range set shot only to have both the goal and field umpire admit to not seeing it and a certain goal became a behind.
It took over 19 minutes for the Bombers to register a goal to the hard working German, then the flood gates opened – for more behinds.
The rest of the quarter was played almost exclusively in the visitors’ forward half as Colbinabbin struggled to clear the ball and the Bombers struggled in front of goal.
Brendan Meroli, who was finding plenty of the ball, kicked the Bombers’ second late in the term to give the visitors a 20-point half-time lead that really could have been 50 points if not for the 11 behinds scored for the quarter.
Colbinabbin started the second half with plenty of vigour and with a few of the Bombers distracted, the Grasshoppers were able to get within 10 points.
Any thoughts of a sustained comeback were quashed though as the Bombers responded not only to the niggle but more importantly with goals to Perri, Kennedy and Daniel Coates all atoning for earlier misses.
Having only gained a one-point advantage with the wind Colbinabbin still trailed by 19 points at the last change – a margin that decreased as Patty O’Brien took advantage of a 50-metre penalty, but again the Bombers responded quickly through Walsh and Dye.
Leitchville Gunbower lost Walton to a yellow card midway through the term – the burly forward has been a model citizen this season but was sorely tested by the happenings further up the ground.
In the end it mattered little – when the Bombers find accuracy they can score quickly and again the season long dynamic continued.
Perri goaled twice, Daniel Couwenberg joined the party and the lead was out to a safe 40 points with a late consolation goal to the Grasshoppers in the rapidly increasing gloom bringing the final margin to 34 points.
Leitchville/Gunbower can reclaim top spot on the ladder this weekend with a big victory against the winless Lockington Bamawm United.
