Boisdale Briagolong maintained its position at the top of the East Gippsland Football League with a hard-fought victory over Lucknow at the Lucknow Recreation Reserve last Saturday.
Despite looking a mismatch on paper, the Magpies played with plenty of guts and determination, taking the contest right up to the competition’s current measuring stick, with the Bombers needing to pull out all stops to get over the line.
Nothing separated the sides through the first three quarters, as the lead changed regularly. The visitors held a two-point lead at quarter time, the home side a three-point advantage at half time, before the scores were all locked up at three-quarter time.
Although the visitors had considerably more opportunities to score, their attempts were largely unsuccessful due to the pressure the opposition was creating.
With it all to play for in the final term, it was the Bombers who had all the answers, kicking three unanswered goals to run out 20-point winners in a performance that certainly wasn’t their best for the season.
Matt Wilkinson was the hero up forward, kicking six of his team’s eight goals in an effort that was required to get his side over the line, with skipper Jimmy Reeves currently out of the side.
Kel Porter was a significant player for the Bombers, who got plenty of run and carry through the middle of the ground from Jackson Glenane, Jude Scriven and Ben Brunt.
Daniel Johnson and Zak Harrigan were also solid four-quarter performers for Boisdale Briagolong, who sit four points clear at the top of the table.
The cream rose to the top for the Magpies with Link McKenna and Ricky Tatnell leading the way. McKenna produced his best performance for the season after a cruel run with injury.
They also got solid games from Rhys Perkins, Tanner Croucher, Logan Croucher and Damian Hodder.
The Croucher brothers are young and developing and part of the Magpies’ future, with the club hopeful that older brother Bayley may join them in the seniors soon.
Despite one of their better performances of the season, the Magpies now sit two games outside the top four in sixth spot, with plenty of work to do if they are to figure at the pointy end of the season. Magpie Jayke Andrews competes for a mark against Boisdale co-coach Kade Renooy.
