THE Bendigo Bank Bombers yesterday improved their record to 3-1 after four rounds of the VFL season following a 31-point victory over Geelong.

The Bombers and Cats kicked the dew off at Skilled Stadium in a 9.40am start, with Bendigo prevailing 14.9 (93) to 9.8 (62).
 

The victory followed wins over Collingwood and Port Melbourne over the previous two weeks, making it the first time since rounds seven, eight and nine of 2007 when Matthew Knights was coach that the Bombers have strung together three consecutive wins.

Bendigo now sits in fourth position on the ladder with a percentage of 121.74.

The Bombers made a strong start to the contest, opening up a 18-point advantage at quarter-time as they led 5.2 to 2.2.

“We started well and used the ball well going into our forward 50 in that first quarter,’’ Bendigo coach Shannon Grant said.

By half-time Geelong had closed to within eight points after holding the Bombers goalless in the second quarter.

The third term remained an arm-wrestle before a goal to Michael Still on the three quarter-time siren gave the Bombers a 13-point buffer entering the last quarter.

 
And just as they had done in their previous two wins, the Bombers ran all over the opposition in the final term.

The Bombers kicked 6.2 to 3.2 in the last quarter to secure the crucial away victory.

“With our second halves, we have really been running the games out well,’’ Grant said.

“The win is a credit to the boys because they had to work hard, they shared the load well and they have been running over the top of teams, which is good.

“Getting these early wins become really important as the year goes on, so this is a great result.

“The group showed a lot of character to play away for the second week in a row and get a win, especially down here at 9.30 in the morning.’’
 
The Bombers’ best players were led by first-year Essendon player Ben Howlett through the midfield.
Irishman Michael Quinn, who kicked two goals, played well up forward and on a wing.
 
Stewart Crameri produced his third dominant performance in a row with another strong game off half-back. Crameri, originally from Maryborough, was rookie-listed by Essendon from Bendigo last year.
 
“Stewart is coming along really well and just getting better every week,’’ Grant said.
 
“He’s certainly a senior player in the making.’’
 
 
John Williams, Still and Jason Cloke also figured in the best players for Bendigo.

Still was the Bombers’ leading goalkicker with three.

The Bendigo side also included 2008 Hawthorn premiership player Mark Williams.

Playing up forward, Williams kicked two goals to be among 10 Bendigo goalkickers.

Geelong’s best players included Nathan Djerrkura, Ryan Gamble, Ben Raidme, Ben Johnson, Daniel Jull and Allen Christensen.

There was one report in the match, with Geelong’s Daniel Menzel booked for charging Howlett in the third quarter.

The victory squared the head-to-head ledger between the Bombers and Geelong at six apiece, with the win Bendigo’s first at Skilled Stadium since 2004.

The Bombers’ season continues this Saturday when they return to the Queen Elizabeth Oval to take on AFL club-in-waiting, the Gold Coast.
 
The Gold Coast is still to win its first game of the season and sits second-last on the ladder after losing to the Casey Scorpions by eight points at Southport on Saturday.
Saturday’s game will start at the earlier time of 12.10pm.
 
This story is provided by The Bendigo Advertiser.