LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER’S 16-match winning streak ended at the weekend, with the reigning Heathcote District Football Netball League premiers going down to a determined Colbinabbin by 24 points on Saturday.
Not for the first time in recent years, the Bombers struggled with the home side’s full ground press and couldn’t replicate their attacking style evident in the first three rounds.
At first sight, the M.J. Morgan Oval looks reasonably large but as the Bombers again found out, is a surprisingly small space when the opposition flood the backline and apply constant pressure.
Led by Hadleigh Sirret, who rucked solidly against the Bombers three talls in Michael Pilcher, Russell De Groot and Lee Pollock, the Grasshoppers denied the Bombers midfield brigade clear access from the stoppages.
Matt Perri got the Bombers off to a good start with two first quarter goals and with Mitch Bruns chipping in with another, it seemed the reigning premiers were on song.
Logan Prout, Shaun Turvey and the stealthy Brad Ladson were blanketing the Grasshoppers’ forward movements and it looked to be heading for a good day out for the large numbers of Bomber supporters who had made the trip south.
Two red time goals late in the term gave the hosts hope that their flooding tactic system was paying dividends and they trailed by only seven points at the first change.
The second term saw more tough contested footy and again the Bombers appeared in control with early goals.
Weight of numbers around the ball gradually began to tell and with more run than the Bombers, the home side again scored late in the term to cut the half time margin to less than a kick.
There had been some worrying signs before the break with the Bombers discipline – such as clumsy free kicks given away and 50-metre penalties – signalling that the Grasshoppers’ pressure was taking a toll.
The third term was a contrast to the dour first half, with the game opening up, and with nine goals scored, the ball moved rapidly around the ground.
Still, the Bombers struggled to eradicate their errant free kicks and by the last change, it was the Grasshoppers who held a seven-point advantage.
Jack Gleeson had been in everything for the Bombers, but was outnumbered as the Grasshopper midfield took control through recruits Mitch Bright, Lachlan Ezard and Nat Nixon, who showed the Bombers the value of running when not in possession.
The dam wall broke in the final term. Turvey and Prout couldn’t stop Ryan Hon and Nick Knight scoring goals with the silver service they got from the midfield, while at the other end Perri couldn’t escape from behind a wall of green and gold as he was often double or triple teamed.
