The sun was shining, although Gore Hill Oval was a heavy track; with four games of footy to play on Saturday. First up was Div 4, taking on Manly.
The Bombers came out firing, but their shots were off target. Seven behinds in the first quarter saw them trailing by six points at the first change. The Bombers had nine behinds on the board before finally breaking through for a goal, the first of three for the quarter that saw the Bombers trailing by four points at half time.
The third quarter as an arm-wrestle, both sides defending grimly and refusing to concede ground. At the last change, the Bombers trailed by three points. But the last quarter saw fortunes reverse, as the Bombers took the lead in the opening minute of the final term. The floodgates opened, as the Div 4 team played with a fluency rarely seen. Although several shots were off target, the Bombers had the run of play around the ground, as they kicked 3.7 for the final term and kept the Wolves scoreless to win by 23 points. Three wins in a row for our Div 4 side, as their strong late-season form continues.
Next up was the Div 1 fixture, the second week in a row the Bombers have taken on top side Manly. It was another tough first half, with the ladder leaders having the best of proceedings around the ground; with the Bombers trailing by 68 points at half time. The Bombers tightened up the game in the third quarter, preventing the scoreboard from blowing out further and managing two goals for the term. It was a tough assignment for the Bombers to be up against the top team for two weeks in a row; and although they continued to work hard in the final quarter, the Bombers went down by 77 points.
The Under 18s were up next, taking on Illawarra. The Lions got the eary jump, with five goals on the board within a blink of the game getting under way; and the Bombers were 30 points down at quarter time. The Bombers got one goal back in the second tem, but the Lions kicked away again and at the long break the Bombers were 56 points in arrears.
It was a tough hit-out for the young Bombers; and it didn't get any easier in the third term, with the Bombers 64 points behind at three quarter time. And there was little to excite during the final quarter, with the final margin being 76 points.
And then it was finally time for the Premier Division game against Illawarra. The first quarter saw the Bombers racing out of the blocks, with six unanswered goals in the first term as they cruised to a 37-point lead at quarter time. In the race for finals spots, percentage may well be crucial; and the Bombers scented an opportunity to boost theirs. Keeping their running game going, and denying the Lions a goal until the dying seconds of the second term, the Bombers held a 62-point lead at the long break.
The floodgates opened in the third term, and the Bombers were in complete control. A 10-goal quarter saw the margin blow out to 109 points at the last change, as North Shore worked to build their percentage. By then the sting had largely gone out of the contest, but the Bombers still managed five goals to two for the final term to win by 125 points; a berth in this year's finals now all but assured.
Last Modified on 09/01/2013 09:28