THE Bendigo Bank Bombers are on their best winning streak since 2005 after overcoming a spirited challenge from the Gold Coast in their VFL clash at the Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
In front of a big crowd, the Bombers won 15.17 (107) to 12.9 (81) as they registered their fourth consecutive victory.
The last time the Bombers won four games in a row was the opening four matches of the 2005 season.
With their 4-1 record the vastly improved Bombers remain in fourth position on the ladder.
Gold Coast, which next year will become the AFL’s 17th club, made a solid start to the game.
Playing a quick, free-flowing brand of footy, coupled with strong defensive pressure, Gold Coast led by seven points at quarter-time, 5.3 to 4.2.
Two of Bendigo’s four first-quarter goals were kicked by Mark Williams, both from marks on the lead.
Three minutes into the second term Gold Coast extended its lead to 13 points following a goal to Charlie Dixon, who cleverly slotted a 45m set shot from the swimming pool flank.
With the challenge being laid down to Bendigo, the Bombers responded with a string of four goals in succession to Travis Colyer, best-on-ground Marcus Marigliani (two) and Jason Laycock between the five and 17-minute marks to establish a 13-point break.
The run of four straight goals was kick-started in the middle, with the Bombers winning the first five centre breaks of the quarter after the Gold Coast had earlier held sway 7-3 in the first term.
From 13 points down, Gold Coast had the last four scoring shots of the quarter, kicking 2.2, with both their goals scored by Trent McKenzie, to take a one-point lead into half-time of the seesawing battle, 8.7 to 8.6.
Dominant second halves had been a trademark of the Bombers in their strong start to the season, and that looked like being the case again as Bendigo began to assert its authority on the contest in the pivotal third term.
The Bombers kicked 4.3 to 2.1 in the third term to lead by 13 points at three quarter-time and from there looked in a position to continue its dominance in the last term against the tiring Gold Coast, which had just five of its 23 players born before 1990.
But 11 minutes into the last quarter it was still game-on after Gold Coast kicked two of the first three goals - including a sensational snap from David Swallow from deep in the pocket - to cut the margin to eight points.
However, Swallow’s goal was Gold Coast’s final score as the Bombers had the last eight scoring shots, kicking an inaccurate 2.6, to finish 26-point winners.
“Gold Coast has some really exciting young kids and is going to be a very good football side in a few years’ time,” Bombers coach Shannon Grant said.
“We stuck at it and if we had hit the scoreboard a bit more consistently it would have been a good result, but we got the four points, so we’re happy with that.”
Midfielder Marigliani was outstanding for the Bombers, amassing 30 possessions and kicking three goals.
Other major ball-winners included Hayden Skipworth (25 possessions, seven marks), Bachar Houli (24), David Myers (22) and Leroy Jetta (20, two goals).
Defenders Jason Cloke, John Williams and captain James Flaherty were among Bendigo’s best, while Mark Williams finished with four goals from 14 possessions.
Former Bendigo Pioneer Daniel Harris had 18 possessions and three marks for Gold Coast, which is yet to win a game.
This article appears thanks to the Bendigo Advertisor.
