Premiership favourite Boisdale Briagolong took all day to wear down a persistent and gallant Lucknow side at the Cabbage Patch during round 13 of the East Gippsland Football Netball League last Saturday.
The Bombers went into the clash without key players Kel Porter, Jackson Glenane and Rhys Johnson, while also resigning themselves to the likelihood that star big man Matt Wilkinson will miss the remainder of the campaign.
Nicol Sandison made a welcome return for his first senior match of the season, bringing structural flexibility to both ends of the ground, while recent addition Bayden Dowsett saw plenty of action spending time matching up on dangerous Magpie Link McKenna.
Play was scrappy and littered with stoppages in damp conditions, with Lucknow dictating terms early. The Magpies forced numerous turnovers with their pressure, taking advantage of a home side that missed the defensive accountability of Johnson and Porter to carry a seven-point lead into the main break.
Boisdale Briagolong lifted its intensity in the second half, though the Magpies continued to issue stern challenges. Despite playing on their home deck, the heavy conditions appeared to suit the visitors, with the Bombers looking like a side better suited to the expansive layout of Bairnsdale City Oval.
The Bombers won more first use of the ball after half time, kicking five goals to three across the final two terms. Two late majors from Lucknow narrowed the final margin to just six points before the siren sounded.
The six-point win marks Boisdale Briagolong’s 12th victory of the season. While the spark and dominance that characterised their early-season form has cooled slightly, the ladder leaders continue to find ways to win when challenged.
Skipper Jimmy Reeves led the forward line with three goals for the winners, while Ben Wilkinson and Will Moon contributed two goals apiece after being trialed in forward roles.
League-leading goalkicker Nick Mooney booted three for the Magpies, with McKenna slotting two with his impressive left foot. Mooney maintains a one-goal lead over Reeves in the league goalkicking tally, with Lindenow’s Peter Harrison four goals back with one week of suspension remaining.
Best players for the Bombers were Josh Davis, Sandison, Ben Brunt, Jesse Ross, Dowsett and Ben Wilkinson.
Lucknow was led superbly by McKenna and Ricky Tatnell, with strong support from Logan Croucher, Jayke Andrews, Ashley Smith and Darcy Simpson.
The Bombers travel to AJ Freeman Reserve this Saturday to face Paynesville, while Lucknow welcomes Lindenow to Lucknow Recreation Reserve, armed with plenty of confidence following their standout performance against the benchmark of the competition.
