The weather forecast wasn't promising, but Saturday dawned to blue skies and sunshine; and although there was a bit of cloud cover, conditions at Gore Hill were surprisingly good for the catch-up fixtures for the Under 18s and First Division against East Coast Eagles.
Top spot on the ladder was up for grabs in the Under 18s. The Bombers started brightly, peppering the goals, but three behinds went on the board before the Bombers broke through for their first goal. A second came moments later, the Bombers looking well on top. But the Eagles fought back with two goals before a late one for the Bombers extended the lead to 9 points at the first change. The Eagles threw everything at the Bombers in the second term, but the Bombers dug deep to hold them out, not surrendering the lead and retaining a 7-point advantage at the long break.
The Eagle onslaught continued in the third term, and the Bombers were under the pump as the Eagles took the lead for the first time in the game. The deficit grew to 10 points at one stage during the quarter, but the Bombers fought back late in the quarter to cut the margin to 2 points at the last change.
The final term was a roller-coaster of emotion as the Bombers took the lead, lost it and then scores were tied. Another behind apiece were the only scores of an enthralling final 10 minutes, as two sides battled for supremacy. Fans known for their coolness in moments of crisis were trembling like leaves on a deciduous tree, the tension palpable in a blockbuster clash for the ages. And in the end, honours were shared - but if a clash of this quality is an indication of how the finals will shape, the young generation of Sydney footy is in good hands.
Meanwhile at the Village Green, an under-manned Third Division team, with some key players out, had a tough morning against a well-drilled UNSW-ES side and went down by 139 points.
Next on the card at Gore Hill was the First Division game, also featuring the Bombers against the Eagles. And it was a flying start for our reserves. Three unanswered goals got the game off to a good start, while the defence was magnificent to hold the Eagles scoreless in the opening term. But the Bombers let the Eagles off the hook in the second term, as East Coast lifted and the North Shore lead was cut to 7 points at half time.
But disaster struck in the third quarter, as the Eagles took control of the contest and the Bombers were left behind. The Eagles ran through 6.0 to 1.1 for the quarter, and with the Bombers 22 points in arrears at the last change, the premiership quarter had been one best forgotten. And the Bombers never looked like getting back into the contest in the final term, the Eagles taking out the game by 28 points.
Last Modified on 09/01/2012 21:57
