The weather gods were on our side, and a glorious Saturday dawned at Gore Hill Oval for the Bombers' clash with Campbelltown.
First up was the hird Division match, and it was a bright start for the Bombers. The new team was looking for their first win for the season, and got their campaign off to a flying start with four goals to one for the opening term to lead by 17 points at quarter time. And with an early flourish of three goals in the first five minutes of the second term, the Div 3 team was playing their best footy so far this season.
The Blues attempted to come back late in the quarter, but the North Shore defence held firm, putting the Campbelltown forwards under plenty of pressure, and at the long break the Bombers were 25 points ahead.
The third quarter was evenly contested, the Bombers having an answer to every challenge the Blues threw at them, and at the final change the margin was 26 points. There were some anxious moments early in the final term, as the Blues scored the first two goals to cut the margin to 13 points with still plenty of time on the clock.
But the Bombers steadied, restored the three-quarter time margin, and confidence grew in the final stages as a historic win was scented. The final margin was 33 points - our first win in Third Division. For many of our players, who had never played the game before this season, the taste of victory was sweet indeed as the team song was sung with passion in the rooms after the game.
Next up was the Seniors, also matched against Campbelltown. And it was a flying start for the Bombers, finding plenty of space for the midfielders, and the forwards able to make the most of plenty of unopposed marking opportunities. Midway through the quarter the Bombers had got 22 points clear, but the Blues rallied late in the quarter with three goals in time on; and at the first change the North Shore lead was 4 points.
The Bombers stepped up a gear in the second term, and the Blues were unable to keep up. There were plenty of highlights - strong pack marks to Pat Brackin and Daniel Roberts, a sensational goal after sharking a throw-in by Brendan Fitzgerald, a sensational smother by Dale Fitzgerald to force a turnover that led to another Bomber goal. At the long break the Bombers held a 30-point lead.
The floodgates opened in the third term, and the Bombers went ballistic. Nine goals in a row was a reflection of North Shore's complete domination around the ground. Some of them looked way too easy, as the Bombers capitalised on the Blues' capitulation. Even with the Blues scoring late in the quarter, the Bombers led by an imposing 79 points at the last change.
It was more of the same in the final term - the Bombers scoring at will and having by far the better of proceedings around the ground. The final winning margin was 119 points - an important result, not just for the four points, but rehabilitating the team's percentage after the losses to Wests and East Coast. The only dampener on the afternoon was an injury to Pat Brackin, who departed with concussion - but overall, it was a pleasing result for the Bombers. Daniel Roberts finished with 7 goals for the Bombers, while Adrian Harry was awarded the best on ground.
The First Division team were in a twilight match against Manly at Blacktown No 2. It was a hard night at the office for our reserves, against a well-drilled Manly senior team. The Wolves wasted little time in getting to a dominant lead, and although the Bombers tried hard through the evening, they were never in the contest and were defeated by 92 points.
A sunny Sunday at Picken Oval saw our Under 18s taking on Wests. It took some time for the Bombers to find their rhythm and intensity, and the Magpies would score the first three goals of the game. The Bombers fought back in the second term, but still trailed by 4 points at the long break.
The Bombers lifted in the third quarter. The ball remained on the North Shore forward line through the quarter, and the Magpies were held scoreless. North Shore peppered the goals, four behinds in a row to level the scores before the floodgates finally opened and four goals to the Bombers in the last 10 minutes of the quarter gave the Bombers a 26-point lead at the last change.
The Bombers, with a full complement of interchange players, were able to swing fresh legs into action in the last quarter, maintaining their pace and run throughout the contest. The final result was a 36-point victory for the Bombers - with 24 scoring shots to 8, the margin could potentially have been even greater. But it was enough for our young Bombers to retain their position at the top of the table.
Next week our three senior age teams will be at home, the feature game being the Premier Division taking on ladder leaders Balmain. Our Under 18s will travel to Olds Park next week to play St George.
Last Modified on 16/12/2011 20:18