PUTTING the previous weekend’s loss to North Bendigo behind them, Leitchville/Gunbower returned on Saturday to doing what they do best this season – trouncing the rest of the Heathcote District Football Netball League competition – this time fourth-placed White Hills to the tune of 82 points.
Back on the wide open spaces of Leitchville Oval and farm from the white hot action of Atkins Street, the Bombers had little trouble seeing off the Demons with midfielder Jackson McEwen in scintillating form and forward Matt Perri bagging nine goals.
Far from being an entertaining clash between two top-four teams, this was a hard game to watch with both sides committing numerous skill errors when on the verge of achieving good passages of play.
White Hills were the main culprit in this area, compounded by a short possession style game that was not suited to the larger ground and exacerbated by their ability to totally stuff it all up after seven or eight short sideways kicks.
It wouldn’t be too often that a side defeated by such a margin would dominate the possession count, but this was precisely what the Demons achieved.
In the first term it was McEwen who made the Demons pay, pouncing on several errant kicks to set up three goals as the hosts established a 22-point lead at quarter time.
After being held goalless in the first term, Perri made the second quarter his own, kicking the Bombers’ total score for the term with five goals.
Although this would be remarkable enough, what made Perri’s efforts even more meritorious was that delivery from the midfield was akin to a television cooking show mystery box – with the forward being asked to create from some random ingredients.
The hosts held a six-goal lead at the main break, which the Bombers extended to 45 points by three-quarter time, with Perri having a rest from scoring and Matt Ladson chipping in with a couple of goals.
Perri resurfaced in the last term as the Bombers began to play with some panache – Mitch Bruns (two goals), Adam Deccicio and Brady Hore began to find more space as their opponents tired and Perri finally received some accurate passes.
Four goals resulted for a match tally of nine with the forward unlucky not to reach double figures missing one of his easier shots for the day.
Bombers coach Matt Hawken was pleased with the seven goal to one last term.
“We finished off well. That is the sort of style with the run and spread we need to create earlier in games,” he said.
“We probably could’ve been further in front at half time but their game plan and our own ball use didn’t lend itself to that.”
The Bombers take on Lockington Bamawm United on Sunday at Lockington as part of the Cats’ 100-year celebrations.
