LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER recorded a second 200-plus point match in the space of eight days at the weekend.
The Bombers’ 170-point win against an undermanned but dogged Elmore outfit helped close the percentage gap between the side and Heathcote District Football Netball League premiership favourites, North Bendigo.
Challenged again by coach Matt Hawken to continue in the same selfless vein as the previous week against Mount Pleasant, the Bombers – who themselves were missing key players Michael Pilcher and Dan Meroli – started in similar fashion with an eight-goal to one first term.
With a clear advantage in skill and talent, the Bombers swept forward at every opportunity and if not for inaccurate kicking for goal the quarter time margin could have easily been 12 goals instead of eight.
Elmore responded with greater tackling intensity in the second quarter and succeeded in slowing the visitors’ scoring rate, with the use of the first option dropping off.
Despite this, Leitchville/Gunbower held a comfortable 73-point lead at the main break – even with leading goalkicker Matt Perri being well contianed by youngster Tyson Oliver.
Tim Lincoln’s second game back after injury showed much of the elements of his 2015 and 2016 seasons, and along with Jack Dye, was providing an much needed alternative avenue to goal.
Dye’s form during the last few weeks has been impressive with his pace and strong marking a perfect foil – and this week a genuine alternative – to Perri.
Elmore – like Mount Pleasant the week before – could only manage two goals to half-time and with the likes of Shaun Turvey and Logan Prout patrolling the half-back line, found scoring difficult.
Prout limited Elmore ace James Harney, while Turvey slotted seamlessly back into the side and will give Hawken great flexibility at the selection table.
The third term was similar to the second – Elmore tackled and harassed and created some opportunities resulting in the home side scoring the first three goals of the term. However, the Bombers regrouped and responded with the next six goals but perhaps lacked the fluency evident in the first term.
The margin increased to 93 points at the final break, but Hawken was not satisfied.
“Our scoring rate had dropped off. We had set a target of 30 goals at half time and we had let Elmore bring us back a bit,” he said.
“e had more of the play and should have been further in front.”
It is a interesting position when a coach considers a 93-point lead insufficient to warrant great praise, but given the talent quota on each side, this was probably justifiable.
Spurred on, the Bombers produced their highest scoring quarter since joining the HDFNL – 85 points – as they ran over the top of the exhausted Bloods.
Lincoln and Dye again prominent as the midfield brigade of Matt Pollock, Daniel Couwenberg and Matt Ladson upped the tempo in a ruthless display that saw the visitors amass 20 scoring shots for the term.
Lincoln added four goals to take his tally to seven – which was mirrored by Dye – while Perri managed a couple of late goals to give him four for the game – modest by his standards, but still increasing his lead at the top of the goalkicking table.
“Our last quarter was just terrific and over the last two weeks we are showing (in patches) just how effective we can be when we get it right,” Hawken said.
“We made five changes from last week including another debutant (Alex Keath) and we are still we are improving.”
The Bombers’ next opponent is Heathcote at Gunbower this Saturday before embarking on a tougher run of matches in the last month before the finals begin.
