Bombers outlast Saints to record significant victory

By Matthew Kappos

May 12, 2024

Working hard: Will Brereton was among his side’s best as Leitchville-Gunbower defeated Heathcote in a nail-biting encounter Photo by Aidan Briggs

Leitchville-Gunbower has put in an impressive performance in round six of the Heathcote District league, defeating Heathcote by seven points on Saturday.

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After a closely contested first term at Barrack Reserve in Heathcote, the game was ultimately decided by a dominant second quarter from the Bombers, who held the host goalless to establish a 19-point half-time advantage.

The Saints fought back in the third and even took the lead during the final quarter, but the Bombers did enough to regain the lead and take the game 10.10 (70) to 9.9 (63).

“We probably just got a bit better around the contest, around the stoppage and the clearance stuff, which gave us a few more looks going forward and we were able to generate some more forward 50 entries from that,” Leitchville-Gunbower coach Shannon Keam said of the second quarter.

“To be totally honest, we probably didn’t capitalise on the forward entry count. We over-possessed the ball a little bit, but we thought we were in control of the game.

“Then in the second half, all credit to Heathcote, they lifted the intensity around the ball and it sort of made it a bit more of a fight and they were able to work their way back into the game.

“They kicked a couple of really freakish goals too which got them up and about and we were able to get a bit of an arm wrestle and they hit the front there in the last.

“Credit to our lads, they showed a bit of maturity and resilience to get back in front and end up in front when the final siren went.”

Fraser Buchanan, Billy Hawken and Christopher Horman shared the goal-kicking load with three majors each, while Lachlan Svern’s goal rounded out L-G’s 10.

Keam said Buchanan was unlucky to not have more goals to his name, with a number of chances sailing wide for behinds.

The Bombers have now compiled a 3-2 record so far this season and find themselves alone in fourth place on 12 points.

White Hills, whose 5-1 record is the best in the league, is the assignment next weekend for L-G, who will host the game at Gunbower Recreation Reserve.