WITH the Heathcote District Football Netball League finals beginning on August 19, Leitchville/Gunbower fired a significant opening shot in the psychological war with North Bendigo, carving out a hard fought 50-point win against an injury depleted Bulldogs outfit.
With the sun shining brightly, the game promised much, even with North missing up to seven first pick players, but what was delivered though belied the near perfect footballing conditions.
Anyone expecting a fast, skilful and free scoring opening would have been disappointed as the game became one of trench warfare with ground gained rather than actual scoring the measure of success.
Stoppage piled upon stoppage occurred in a torrid opening that saw both sides struggle to string effective passages of play together.
This was not a game for the football purists, but rather an absorbing and slowly unfolding battle of attrition.
The Bulldogs were the first to trouble the scoreboard after 15 minutes of slogging effort with a goal to Zac Alford, then followed it with a second 10 minutes later.
With scoring opportunities limited, the Bombers did well to prevent the Bulldogs getting away – Ryan Prendergast led a desperate defence supported brilliantly by youngsters Logan Prout and Brady Hore.
Pressure on the ball carrier from North Bendigo was immense and affected the Bombers’ delivery into the forward line greatly. Hhaphazard kicks were intercepted leaving forwards Matt Perri, Ayden Walton and Jack Dye stranded.
Bombers coach, Matt Hawken was not happy at quarter time, with the Bombers recording their only goalless quarter of the season.
“We have forgotten all of our plans, everything we practiced at training… we need to stick to what we planned,” he said to the home side at the break.
For the first half of the second term it looked like Hawken’s words had little effect as the Bombers struggled to move the ball with any precision as the fierce attritional nature of the contest continued.
Slowly but surely though, the Bombers began to gain the ascendancy around the stoppages with Michael Pilcher and Lee Pollock – playing his 150th match for the Bombers – giving Matt Ladson and Dan Couwenberg the chance to clear the ball away finally.
After 17 arduous minutes, the Bombers were finally rewarded for their labour with a goal to Perri.
Pollock scored the Bombers’ second just before the siren after the best piece of team play for the day involving Pilcher, Tim Lincoln and Jackson McEwen.
By the start of the third term the blue skies had given way to grey clouds, which thankfully had an inverse correlation with the tone of the game.
Goals flowed as the Bombers unleashed their running game – Prendergast and Prout initiating much of it from the last line and being assisted by the likes of Mitch Bruns and Dan Coates across the midfield.
The Bombers’ pace began to trouble the Bulldogs. Tom Brereton was prominent across the forward line and Adam Decicco returned to the fray, seemingly everywhere the ball was, gathering important possessions and adding polish to the Bombers’ effort.
Perri sparked the Bombers with three goals for the term as the game opened up and with goals from fellow forwards Jack Dye, Joel Donehue and Ayden Walton, the hosts piled on six majors in a commanding display.
North Bendigo’s lack of quality forwards became apparent as the Bomber defence continued to spoil and harass.
Down by 42 points at the last change, the visitors came out strong at the start of the final quarter with better ball movement and attacking play that yielded goals and at one point had the margin back to under five goals before the Bombers reasserted control.
Perri kicked his fifth goal – and his 93rd for the season – in a gritty effort as the Bombers booted the last three goals of the game to run out winners.
Hawken was exceptionally pleased with his team’s performance, cautioning though that the arsenal of forwards waiting in the wings for North Bendigo would make them much stronger the next time.
“Our defence was terrific today and held us together early,” he said
“They’ve got some good players to come back, in but we will be better for this run, that’s for sure “
